ORAL  ENGLISH 


AND 


PUBLIC  SPEAKING 


FOR 


SHURTER 


1           —                        1 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT    LOS  ANGELES 

UA^  f[JM/l ■  yf^'^''*'''' i^C-     yicrvrr     '^ 


n 
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/n 


ORAL  ENGLISH 

AND 

PUBLIC   SPEAKING 


BY 

Edwin  Dubois  Shurter 

PROFESSOR  OF  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 
UNIVERSITY  OF  TEXAS 


•  1     J ,    - 1 ,    > 


Chicago  IsIew  York 

ROW,  PETERSON  AND  COMPANY 


Copyright  1918 
ROW,  PETERSON 
AND      COMPANY 


en 


Oi 


-PIH 

y 

g  PREFACE 

.-»       The  need  of  training  students  in  our  schools  in  oral  Eng- 

o  lish  has  passed  the  stage  of  argument.    Since  in  everyday 

<  life  we  speak  hundreds  of  times  as  often  as  we  write  it  is 

obvious,  from  the  viewpoint  of  using  language  as  a  tool, 

J  that  training  in  oral  composition  is  quite  as  important  as 
"D  practice  in  the  written  form.    To  emphasize  written  compo- 

r  sition  more  than  oral  English  is,  therefore,  inconsistent  with 

d  sound  pedagogy. 

With  training  for  citizenship  as  the  objective,  this  book 

■i  deals  with  all  phases  of  oral  English  that  lend  themselves 
t   to  more  or  less  formal  class  instruction,  adapted  in  treat- 

j  ment  to  the  needs  of  secondary  schools.  In  common  usage 
"^  the  term  ''Oral  English"  is  somewhat  elastic.  It  includes 
J,  the  most  elementary  forms  of  spoken  language,  while  ' '  Pub- 

^  lie  Speaking"  connotes  the  more  formal  relation  of  a 
^  speaker  and  an  audience.  Hence,  the  use  of  both  terms  in 
^  the  title.    Notwithstanding  the  agitation  for  the  incorpora- 

"  tion  of  oral  expression  in  the  regular  class  work  in  English, 
no  standardization  of  the  content  of  such  work  has  as  yet 

<^  been  effected,  as  shown  by  the  wide  variation  of  treatment 
—  in  existing  texts  on  this  subject.     The  present  text  aims  to 

0  fix  some  definite  standards ;  the  content  and  plan  of  the 
r^  book,  with  the  reasons  therefor,  are  outlined  in  the  Intro- 
duction. 

"While  the  needs  of  secondary  schools  have  been  kept 
o  primarily  in  mind,  oral  English  should  not,  of  course,  be 
t  left  for  the  high  school  alone,  nor  in  the  high  school  for  the 
^    teacher  of  English  alone.     School  training  begins,  in  point 

3 


4  PEEFACE 

of  fact,  with  the  first  lessons  in  the  lower  grades.  Chapters 
I  and  II  of  this  book — Oral  Reading  and  Declamation — 
could  profitably  be  used  as  a  text  in  the  junior  high  school 
or  upper  grammar  grades,  reserving  Chapters  III,  IV,  and  V 
for  one  or  more  grades  of  the  high  school.  Doubtless  the 
ideal  place  for  oral  English  in  the  high-school  curriculum 
is  to  make  it  an  organic  part  of  the  regular  class  work  in 
English,  using  at  least  one  period  each  week — or,  better 
still,  twenty  minutes  of  the  class  period  twice  a  week — for 
oral  exercises.  The  teacher  can  readily  correlate  such  exer- 
cises with  the  required  regular  work  in  rhetoric  and 
composition.  The  plan  here  recommended  need  not  and 
should  not  interfere  with  separate  classes  in  the  speech  arts 
for  more  intensive  study  and  practice,  whenever  the  school 
curriculum  will  permit.  But  the  point  for  insistence  is,  that 
the  general  need  for  at  least  some  basic  instruction  in  speech 
demands  that  it  be  given,  first  of  all,  to  the  students  in  a 
school  as  a  whole. 

As  a  suggestive  guide  for  the  teacher,  I  have  attempted 
to  block  out  the  text  into  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  lessons,  but  it  is  to  be  understood,  of  course,  that  the 
length  and  number  of  the  scheduled  lessons  may  be  increased 
or  diminished  as  needs  and  time  demand. 

After  twenty  years '  experience  as  a  teacher  of  oral  Eng- 
lish and  public  speaking,  the  author  has  learned  to  stress 
the  practical  rather  than  the  merely  theoretical  aspects  of 
this  subject.  This  book  does  not  deal  with  any  pet  theory 
or  method,  but  aims  at  results.  The  mechanical  and  arti- 
ficial methods  of  the  traditional  ''elocutionist"  very  prop- 
erly created  a  prejudice  among  educators  against  oral 
expression  as  a  subject  for  the  school  curriculum;  but,  as 
in  the  case  of  many  other  pedagogical  theories,  there  is  dan- 
ger of  going  to  the  other  extreme  and  totally  disregarding 
certain  fundamental  essentials  in  the  mechanics  or   tech- 


PREFACE  .  5 

nique  of  speech.  In  this  treatise  the  author  has  attempted 
a  sane,  midway  course,  including  such  theory  and  technique 
as  are  necessary  for  a  foundation  on  which  to  build,  but 
providing  that  far  more  time  be  devoted  to  practicing  the 
illustrative  exercises,  in  the  belief  that  the  main  thing  is 
systematic  and  continuous  practice. 

Aside  from  organization  and  adaptation  of  material,  one 
would  be  rash  to  claim  any  appreciable  originality  in  a 
book  of  this  character.  A  large  number  of  texts  have  been 
drawn  upon  for  suggestions  and  illustrative  material,  par- 
ticularly my  other  treatises  that  deal  more  exhaustively 
with  the  respective  chapter-subjects  in  this  book.  Parts 
of  these  treatises  have  been  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  the 
present  text  by  the  kind  permission  of  the  respective  pub- 
lishers, as  follows:  Allyn  and  Bacon,  Public  Speaking; 
The  Macmillan  Company,  The  Rhetoric  of  Oratory;  Ginn 
and  Company,  Extempore  Speaking;  Harper  and  Brothers, 
How  to  Debate;  and  Lloyd  Adams  Noble,  Winning  Declama- 
tions and  Howe  to  Speak  Them. 


TABLE  OF  CONTEXTS 

INTRODUCTION' 

PAGE 

Definitions 9 

Value  of  Oral  English 10 

Course  of  Study  Outlined 12 

CHAPTER  I 

Oral  Reading 14 

Getting  the  Thought — Exercises 14-19 

Giving  the  Thought — The  Voice — Exercises. 19-21 

Articulation — Exercises 22-24 

Pronunciation — Exercises 26-27 

Pitch— Exercises 27-28 

Inflection — Exercises    29-31 

Emphasis — Exercises    32-33 

Rate — Exercises 34-35 

Phrasing — Exercises   36-38 

Force — Exercises 38-39 

Volume — Exercises    40-41 

Quality — Exercises    41-42 

Selections  for  Practice  in  Oral  Reading 43 

CHAPTER  II 

riECLAMATION    63 

The  Nature  and  Value  of  Effective  Declamation — Review 63-68 

Fundamental  Principles  of  Delivery — Review 69-78 

Expression  by  Action — Exercises 79-89 

Declamations  for  Class  Drill 91 

CHAPTER  III 

Speech  Composition   113 

General  Preparation  for  Public  Speaking 113 

CoUeeting  Speech  Material 114 

7 


8  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Acquiring  a  Vocabulary 115 

Developing  a  Spirit  of  Social  Service — Eeview 116-117 

Special  Preparation  for  a  Particular  Occasion 119 

Choosing  a  Subject 119 

Gathering  Material 121 

Organizing  the  Material 122 

Writing  the  Speech 124 

Qualities  of  Style  for  Speech  Composition — Exercises 124-132 

Types  of  Speeches  for  Various  Occasions — Exercises 142-147 

CHAPTEE  IV 

Extempore  Speaking  (Oral  Composition) 156 

Advantages  of  the  Extempore  Method 157 

Topics  for  Review  and  Discussion 160 

The  Preparation  and  Delivery  of  an  Extempore  Speech 161 

■  Topics  and  Suggestions  for  Extempore  Speaking  Exercises.  ..  .  168 

CHAPTER  V 

Debating 187 

Selecting  and  Stating  a  Question  for  Debate 188 

Collecting  Material   190 

Analyzing  the  Proposition — Exercises 191-194 

Briefing   the   Question — Exercises 196-201 

Proof   199 

Constructive  Arguments — Exercises .- 202-206 

Refutation— Fallacies— Exercises 208-212 

Ethics  of  Debating 212 

Delivery — Exercises 215-216 

APPENDIX 

Part  I.         Subjects  for  Speeches  and  Orations 218 

Part  II.       Questions  for  Debate 220 

Part  III.     Rules  for  Interscholastic  Debates 225 

Part  IV.  Model  Constitution  and  By-laws  for   a  Literary  or 

Debating  Society 228 

Part  V,        Parliamentary    Procedure 235 

Part  VI.      Bibliography   242 


ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

INTRODUCTION 

LESSON  1 

Definitions  and  Study  Outline 

We  are  to  study  together  for  the  purpose  of  im- 
provement in  the  use  of  our  spoken  language.  In 
order  to  get  a  general  idea  as  to  our  field  of  study,  let 
us  first  define  a  few  terms  that  will  be  dealt  with  in 
this  book.  These  definitions  will  be  brief  at  this 
point,  and  later  we  shall  have  occasion  to  consider 
them  more  fully. 

Definitions 

Oral  English  means  our  spoken  language.  It  in- 
cludes conversation,  oral  reading,  and  public  speak- 
ing. 

Public  Speahing  is  oral  English  delivered  by  a 
speaker  to  a  number  of  individuals  called  an  audi- 
ence. 

Declamation  is  the  oral  interpretation  to  an  audi- 
ence of  another's  thought.  It  differs  from  oral  read- 
ing in  that  the  words  are  spoken  from  memory, 

9 


10  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Oratory  is  that  branch  of  public  speaking  wherein 
persuasion  is  effected  through  an  appeal  to  the  emo- 
tions of  the  hearers. 

Extempore  Speaking,  or  oral  composition,  is  that 
kind  of  public  speaking  wherein  the  speaker  forms 
the  language  for  the  expression  of  his  thought  at  the 
moment  of  its  delivery.  In  extempore  speaking  the 
thought  is  outlined  in  advance,  while  impromptu 
speaking  means  no  special  advanced  preparation 
either  of  language  or  of  thought. 

Argumentation  is  the  process  of  trying  to  prove  a 
given  proposition  as  true  or  false.  Argumentation 
may  be  oral  or  written. 

Debate  is  oral  argumentation  under  conditions 
such  that  an  opponent  is  present  and  waiting  to  reply. 

Value  of  Oral  English 

The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  various  forms  of 
spoken  language.  Now,  more  or  less  study  and  prac- 
tice of  language  in  its  written  form  is  indispensable, 
for  in  certain  respects  nothing  can  take  the  place  of 
practice  in  writing  one 's  thoughts.  But  this  is  by  no 
means  all  that  is  meant  by  language-study.  In  prac- 
tical life  written  language  plays  a  comparatively 
small  part ;  and  if  we  are  to  learn  the  most  effective 
and  practical  use  of  English,  if  we  are  to  master  com- 
plete self-expression,  if  we  are  to  be  trained  to  use 
language  as  a  tool  in  everyday  life,  must  we  not  give 


INTEODUCTION  H 

some  attention  to  oral  expression,  to  thought-com- 
munications by  word  of  mouth  I    Let  us  see. 

If  one  is  demonstrating  a  proposition  in  geometry, 
or  in  class  telling  of  some  incident  in  history,  or 
describing  to  schoolmates  a  football  game  or  a  mov- 
ing picture  show,  he  wants  to  be  able  to  do  this  in  a 
clear,  connected,  convincing,  and  interesting  manner. 
A  salesman,  either  during  school  days  or  after  leav- 
ing school,  needs  not  only  to  know  the  '' talking 
points"  of  his  wares,  but  also  to  be  able  to  drive 
these  points  home  so  his  hearers  will  want  to  buy  his 
goods.  In  any  kind  of  discussion  one  needs  to  know 
something  of  the  principles  of  argumentation  and  of 
the  ways  to  convince  and  persuade  men.  In  some  of 
the  professions  the  ability  to  speak  in  public  is  an 
imperative  need,  but  outside  the  learned  professions 
the  ability  to  speak  well  before  an  audience  adds 
much  to  a  person's  influence  and  usefulness  in  a  com- 
munity. 

Public  discussion  is  the  very  life  of  a  government 
where  public  opinion  rules,  and  public  speaking  is 
essential  for  leadership.  The  citizen  who  can  talk 
readily  and  effectively  in  behalf  of  a  worthy  cause 
can  usually  get  what  he  wants.  ''There  can  be  no 
fairer  ambition,"  says  Eobert  Louis  Stevenson, 
* '  than  to  excel  in  talk ;  to  have  a  fact,  a  thought,  or 
an  illustration  pat  to  every  subject;  and  not  only  to 
cheer  the  flight  of  time  among  our  intimates,  but 
bear  our  part  in  that  great  international  congress, 


12  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

always  sitting,  where  public  wrongs  are  first  declared, 
public  errors  first  corrected,  and  the  course  of  public 
opinion  shaped,  day  by  day,  a  little  nearer  to  the 
right. ' ' 


'•C5-' 


An  Outlined  Course  of  Study  in  Oral  English 

What  steps  are  necessary  for  the  development  of 
power  in  the  use  of  spoken  language  I  It  seems  plain 
that  before  leaving  school  a  boy  or  girl  should  be  able 
(1)  to  read  aloud  clearly  and  impressively;  (2)  to 
speak  effectively  to  an  audience  a  choice  literary 
selection;  (3)  to  prepare  and  deliver  an  address  for 
some  special  occasion;  (4)  to  think  before  an  audi- 
ence, extemporizing  the  language  for  the  thougbt- 
expression;  and  (5)  to  reason  orally  in  support  of 
one's  opinion  on  a  question  of  vital  interest,  and  to 
refute  opposing  views.  These  are  the  aims  and  steps 
in  the  development  of  language  that  are  followed  in 
this  book.  They  include  a  comprehensive  and  sys- 
tematic course  in  the  acquirement  of  a  real  command 
of  the  English  language.  Of  course,  these  steps  need 
not  be  taken  in  the  order  given ;  the  outlined  course  of 
instruction  may  be  pursued  through  several  grades, 
and  the  work  may  be  done  either  in  separate  classes 
or  as  a  part  of  the  regular  work  in  English — either- 
or  both.  The  main  thing  is,  that  it  should  be  done  at 
some  time  and  under  some  plan.  The  way  of  doing 
it  will  be  made  plainer  as  the  foregoing  outlined 
course  of  study  is  developed  in  succeeding  lessons. 


intkoduction"  13 

Questions  for  Review  and  Discussion 

1.  Give  examples  of  what  you  understand  by  the  terms 
Oral  English,  Public  Speaking,  Oratory,  Extempore  Speak- 
ing, Argumentation,  Debate. 

2.  Give  examples  drawn  from  your  own  experience  as 
to  how  you  have  felt  the  need  of  cultivating  oral  English. 

3.  Give  examples  of  speakers  you  have  heard  who  needed 
training  in  public  speaking. 

4.  How  has  the  World  War  shown  the  urgent  need  of 
public  speakers  of  all  ages  in  America  ? 

5.  What  use  do  you  expect  to  make  in  the  future  of  your 
study  of  oral  English  and  public  speaking? 


CHAPTER  I 

ORAL  READING 


\  LESSON  2 

\ 


Getting  the  Thought 


So  they  read  in  the  book  in  the  law  of  God  dis- 
tinctly, and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  them  to  under- 
stand the  reading."  This  verse  from  the  Bible 
(Nehemiah  viii,  8)  states  in  concise  form  the  essen- 
tials of  good  oral  reading:  clearness,  intelligibility, 
and  sympathy.  The  words  must  be  uttered  dis- 
tinctly, so  that  they  may  be  easily  heard ;  they  must 
be  so  spoken  as  to  bring  out  the  sense  of  the  dis- 
course; and  the  utterance  must  reveal  the  emotions 
which  the  words  signify ;  for  ' '  to  understand, ' '  in  its 
Scriptural  use,  means  the  understanding  heart,  as 
well  as  mind.  -~~-^ 

Reading  aloud  involves  the  two  processes  of  get-_ 
ting  the  thought  and  giving  the  thought.    The  reader 
is  an  interpreter  of  the  author's  thought,  and  he  must 
first  find  out  what  the  author  means,  and  then  orally 
express  the  meaning  to  his  audience. 

The  trouble  with  much  of  the  reading  we  hear  (and 
this  is  also  true  of  silent  reading)  is,  that  the  reader 

14 


ORAL  READING  15 

has  only  an  indifferent  or  imperfect  grasp  of  the 
thought.  In  order  to  interpret  an  author,  the  thought 
must  be  clearly  apprehended  and  fully  comprehended, 
and  the  feeling  of  the  author  must  be  experienced  by 
the  reader ;  then,  in  reading,  both  the  thought  and  the 
feeling  must  be  transferred  to  the  hearer. 

Let  us  take  a  concrete  example  and  see  what  is 
really  meant  by  *  *  getting  the  thought. ' '  First  read 
silently  the  following  selection  for  the  purpose  of 
tracing  out  the  ideas  expressed  and  of  getting  the 
thought  as  a  whole : 

**  There  is  a  rivef  in  the  ocean.  In  the  severest  drouths\it 
never  fails,  and  in  the  mightiest  floods  it  never  overflows. 
The  Gulf  of  Mexico  is  its  fountain,  and  its  mouth  is  in  the 
Arctic  seas.  It  is  the  Gulf  Stream.  There  is  in  the  world  ' 
no  other/ such  majestic  flow  of  waters.  Its  current  is  more 
rapid  than  the  Mississippi  or  the  Amazon,  and  its  volume 
more  than  a  thousand  times  j greater.  Its  waters,  as  far  out 
from  the  Gulf  as  the  Carolina  coasts,,  are  of  an  indigo  blue  ;1 
they  are  so  distinctly  marked  that  their  line  of  junction  with 
the  common  sea-water  may 'be  traced  by  the  eye.  Often 
one-half  of  a  vessel  may  be  perceived  floating  in  the  Gulf 
Stream  w^ater,  while  the  other  half  is  in  the  common  water 
of  the  sea,  so  sharp  is  the  line  and  such  is  the  want  of  affinity 
between  those  waters,  and  such,  too,  the  reluctance,  so  to 
speak,  on  the  part  of  those  of  the  Gulf  Stream  to  mingle 
with  the  common  water  of  the  sea. 

"This  curious  phenomenon!  in  the  physical  world !has  its 
counterpart  in  the  moral.  There  is  a  lonely  river  in  the 
midst  of  the  ocean  I  of  mankind.  The  mightiest  floods  of 
human  temptation  'have  never  caused  it  to  overflow,  and 


16  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

the  fiercest  fires  of  human  cruelty]  though  seven  times 
heated  in  the  furnace  of  religious  bigotrA  have  never  caused 
it  to  dry  up,  although  its  waves  for  two  tliousand  yearsihave 
rolled  crimson  with  the  blood  of  its  martyrs.  Its  fountain 
is  in  the  grey  dawnj  of  the  world 's  history]  and  its  mouth  is 
somewhere  in  the  shadows  of  eternity .|  It,  too,/  refuses  to 
mingle  with  the  surrounding  waves,  and  the  linej  which 
divides  its  restless  billows! from  the  common  waters  of  hu- 
manity is  also  plainly  visible  to  the  eye.    It  is  the  Jewish  \ 


}  9      t 

race,     i 


Now,  if  we  thoroughly  analyze  the  thought  of  the 
above  selection,  we  must  give  heed  to  some  such 
queries  as  the  following : 

1.  What  is  the  source  or  setting  of  the  selection"^ 
It  is  the  introductory  part  of  a  lecture  by  Zebulon 
Baird  Vance,  some  time  a  United  States  Senator 
from  South  Carolina,  delivered  many  times  in  Ly- 
ceum courses,  and  called  his  greatest  platform  dis- 
course. 

2.  What  is  the  theme  of  the  selection?  Just  as  the 
Gulf  Stream  is  clearly  distinguishable  in  the  ocean, 
so  the  Jewish  race  is  distinguishable  in  the  ocean  of 
humanity. 

3.  What  is  the  central  thought  of  each  paragraph? 
Paragraph  1 :  The  Gulf  Stream  does  not  mingle  with 
the  common  water  of  the  sea  and  thus  forms  a  river 
in  the  ocean.  Paragraph  2 :  The  Jewish  race,  refus- 
ing to  mingle  with  the  common  waters  of  humanity, 
forms  a  lonely  river  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean  of 
mankind. 


ORAL  READING  17 

4.  What  word,  phrase,  or  clause  in  each  sentence 
carries  the  principal  idea,  and  ivhat  words  express- 
new  ideas f  Let  us  italicize  such  words  and 
phrases  in  the  first  four  sentences  only,  and  then 
you  can  analyze  in  like  manner  the  whole  selection : 
*' There  is  a  river  in  the  ocean.  In  the  severest 
drouths  it  never  fails,  and  in  the  mightiest  floods  it 
never  overflows.  The  Gulf  of  Mexico  is  its  fountain, 
and  its  mouth  is  in  the  Arctic  seas.  It  is  the  Gidf 
Stream. 

5.  Can  you  group  the  words  that  express  the  suc- 
Cbssive  ideas?  In  all  composition  the  thought  is 
developed  by  groups  of  words — sometimes  a  single 
word — that  express  a  single  idea.  The  reader  should 
learn  to  recognize  this  grouping  and  pause  a  moment 
at  the  end  of  each  group  until  the  idea  contained  is 
absorbed  by  the  mind.  Taking  again  only  the  first 
four  sentences  of  the  preceding  selection,  and  sepa- 
rating the  idea-groups  by  vertical  lines,  we  might 
analyze  the  grouping  as  follows :  There  is  a  river  |  in 
the  ocean.  |  In  the  severest  drouths  ]  it  never  fails,  j 
and  in  the  mightiest  floods  ]  it  never  overflows.  |  The 
Gulf  of  Mexico  is  its  fountain,  |  and  its  mouth  |  is 
in  the  Arctic  seas.    ]It  is  the  Gulf  Stream.  | 

6.  Can  you  visualize  the  thought, — do  you  see  the 
things  narrated  and  described?  In  order  to  do  this, 
the  imagination  must  come  into  play.  Different  read- 
ers will  see  different  pictures,  but  each  reader  should 
dwell  upon  the  w^ords  that  suggest  pictures.    What 


18  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

picture,  for  example,  comes  to  your  mind  as  you  read 
the  first  sentence  ?  Can  you  visualize  a  river  flowing 
through  the  Atlantic  ocean  faster  than  the  Missis- 
sippi or  the  Amazon  and  a  thousand  times  larger 
than  these  mighty  streams'?  Do  you  see  the  vessel 
sailing  half  in  the  Gulf  Stream  and  half  in  the  com- 
mon water  of  the  ocean?  And  then,  coming  to  the 
* '  counterpart  of  this  curious  phenomenon, ' '  can  you 
see  the  Jewish  people,  as  a  ''scattered  nation,"  citi- 
zens of  every  civilized  nation,  and  yet  a  race  sepa- 
rate and  distinct  from  the  other  inhabitants  of  the 
world? 

7.  Do  you  feel  what  you  are  reading?  Are  your 
emotions  quickened  so  that  you  sympathize  with  tlie 
thought  expressed?  Ponder  upon  the  thought — 
think  it  over  until  you  feel  it.  Here,  again,  differ- 
ent readers  may  have  different  emotions,  but  the 
point  is  that  in  order  to  make  your  reading  sympa- 
thetic, you  must  awaken  the  feeling  that  is  appro- 
priate to  the  thought.  Are  you,  for  example,  filled 
with  wonder  and  admiration  at  the  picture  of  the 
Gulf  Stream?  Are  you  moved  to  admiration  and 
pathos  as  you  read  of  the  Jews,  the  ''chosen  people" 
of  the  biblical  record,  persecuted  yet  persistent,  noted 
in  history  for  their  genius  and  peculiarities,  and, 
despite  long  years  of  "temptation"  and  "cruelty," 
surviving  today  as  a  uni({ue  example  of  racial  soli- 
darity?— "Feel  what  you  are  reading." 


ORAL  READING  19 

EXERCISES 

Take  any  of  the  selections  at  the  end  of  this  Chapter,  or 
other  selections  assigned  by  the  teacher,  and  give  the  thought- 
analysis  in  either  an  oral  or  written  report  to  the  class, 
answering  one  after  another  the  questions  asked  in  the  fore- 
going illustrative  analysis. 


LESSON  3 


Giving  the  Thought 


\  The  Voice 


In  the  thought-analysis  set  forth  in  the  preceding 
lesson,  we  saw  that  the  key  words  of  a  sentence  or 
paragraph  should  be  discovered.  Such  key  words 
must,  in  turn,  be  made  to  stand  out  prominently  in 
the  oral  expression,  and  this  is  called  emphasis. 
Again,  we  saw  that  thought  is  expressed  by  succes- 
sive groups  of  words  that  together  express  an  idea. 
Such  grouping  must  be  indicated  by  proper  pauses, 
and  this  is  called  phrasing.  Now,  the  voice  is  the 
medium  for  expressing  these  ideas  and  relationships. 
Hence  the  need  of  some  attention  to  the  technique 
of  speech,  and  this  applies  throughout  all  the  proc- 
esses of  learning  to  read  and  speak. 

What  kind  of  a  voice  have  you,  high-pitched  or 
low,  clear  or  husky?  Has  your  voice  what  is  called 
a  nasal  tone  or  is  it  full  and  clear!    Have  you  a  pleas- 


20  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

ing  voice?  Probably  you  do  not  know,  unless  your 
teacher  or  some  one  else  lias  told  you.  Naturally 
we  all  have  different  voices.  Are  you  making  the 
best  use  of  the  voice  that  you  have?  We  all  know 
what  a  delight  it  is  to  listen  to  clear,  musical,  pleas- 
ing tones.  Singers  spend  years  in  cultivating  such 
tones.  Then  why  should  not  every  one,  especially 
while  the  voice  is  still  being  formed,  give  some  atten- 
tion to  the  tones  he  uses  in  reading  and  speaking? 
Your  *' natural"  voice  may  not  be  the  best  for  you. 
By  a  little  attention  and  the  observance  of  some 
simple  rules,  the  voice  may  be  infinitely  improved. 

These  three  things  need  attention  in  voice-culture : 
making  the  tone,  forming  the  tone,  and  placing  the 
tone. 

A  tone  is  made,  in  the  first  place,  with  the  breath. 
The  air  is  sent  from  the  lungs  through  the  wind-pipe, 
or  trachea,  and  strikes  the  vocal  cords  stretched 
across  the  pharynx.  The  column  of  air  causes  the 
vocal  cords  to  vibrate  and  to  make  a  sound.  The 
shaping  of  the  throat  and  mouth,  and  the  various 
positions  in  which  we  place  the  palate,  tongue,  jaws, 
teeth,  lips,  etc.,  cause  the  diiferent  sounds  that  to- 
gether make  up  our  speech. 

So  you  will  see  how  the  breath  is  the  foundation 
of  tone-making.  You  must  first  breathe  deeply,  so 
as  to  have  a  good  supply  of  air  in  the  lungs;  then 
send  this  air  gently  but  firmly  against  the  vocal 
cords,  so  as  not  to  waste  it.    Breathe  in  again  at  the 


ORAL  READING  21 

natural  pauses  as  you  read,  so  that  you  do  not  have 
to  strain  and  gasp  for  more  breath. 

After  learning  to  breathe  deeply  and  regularly 
(always  frequently  enough  to  avoid  getting  out  of 
breath),  the  next  thing  is  to  learn  to  relax  the  throat 
muscles  and  to  open  the  mouth  so  that  only  clear 
musical  tones  may  be  produced.  Try  to  avoid  husky 
or  harsh  tones.  Think  of  making  the  voice  clear  and 
pleasing  to  some  one  who  is  listening  to  you.  Keep 
this  idea  in  mind  as  you  practice  the  vocal  exercises 
below.  If  you  have  not  already  a  good  voice,  take 
fifteen  minutes  daily  in  such  practice  for  a  month 
or  two,  and  you  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  it  will 
improve  the  quality  of  your  tones. 

EXERCISES 

1.  Take  a  deep  breath  (without  straining),  open  the 
mouth  wide,  and  then  give  in  a  single  key — chant  it,  if  you 
please — the  sound  of  ah.  Repeat  this  with  each  inspiration, 
always  beginning  gently,  so  as  not  to  contract  the  throat 
muscles.  Continue  practicing  until  you  can  give  this  sound 
in  a  pure,  round,  pleasing  tone. 

2.  In  the  same  way,  with  the  tongue  lying  flat  in  the 
bottom  of  the  mouth,  give  the  sound  aw. 

3.  Similarly,  round  the  lips  and  sound  oh. 

4.  Now  sound  in  slow  succession  ah-aw-oh. 

5.  Laughing,  say  hah!  hah!  hah!  with  a  clear  "glottis 
stroke." 

6.  Read  the  following  extracts  in  a  clear,  bright,  joyous 
tone : 

a.     While  still  young  tune  your  tongue. 


22  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

b.     The  world  is  so  full  of  a  number  of  things, 
I  'm  sure  we  should  all  be  as  happy  as  kings. 

G.  There  is  nothing  like  fun,  is  there  ?  I  haven't  any 
myself,  but  I  like  it  in  others.  0,  we  need  it ! 
God  has  made  sunny  spots  in  the  heart;  why 
should  we  exclude  the  light  from  them? 

d.     Hear  the  mellow  wedding  bells. 

Golden  bells! 
What  a  world  of  happiness  their  harmony  fore- 
tells ! 
Through  the  balmy  air  of  night 
How  they  ringj^t  their  delight ! — 
Of  the  rapture  that  impels 
To  the  swinging  and  the  ringing 
Of  the  bells,  bells,  bells — 
Of  the  bells,  bells,  bells,  bells. 

Bells,  bells,  bells — 
To  the  rhyming  and  the  chiming  of  the  bells! 

LESSON  i 

Articulation 

Next  to  a  good  voice,  a  distinct  and  correct  enun- 
ciation of  words  is  essential  in  reading  and  speaking. 
A  speaker  must  first  of  all  be  heard ;  and  most  of  the 
speakers  that  you  fail  to  hear  have  the  common  fault 
of  indistinct  enunciation.  Regarding  the  training 
of  officers  for  the  United  States  army,  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral H.  P.  McCain  says : 

' '  A  great  number  of  men  have  failed  at  camp  because  of 
inability  to  articulate  clearly.    A  man  who  cannot  impart 


ORAL  READING  23 

his  ideas  to  his  command  in  clear,  distinct  language,  and 
with  sufficient  volume  of  voice  to  be  heard  reasonably  far, 
is  not  qualified  to  give  commands  upon  which  human  life 
will  depend.  Many  men  disqualified  by  this  handicap  might 
have  become  officers  under  their  country's  flag  had  they 
been  properly  trained  in  school  and  college.  It  is  to  be  hoped, 
therefore,  that  more  emphasis  will  be  placed  upon  the  basic 
principles  of  elocution  in  the  training  of  our  youth.  Even 
without  prescribed  training  in  elocution,  a  great  improve- 
ment could  be  wrought  by  the  instructors  in  our  schools  and 
colleges,  regardless  of  the  subject,  insisting  that  all  answers 
be  given  in  a  clear,  well-rounded  voice;  which,  of  course, 
necessitates  the  opening  of  the  mouth  and  free  movement 
of  the  lips.  It  is  remarkable  how  many  excellent  men  suffer 
from  this  handicap,  and  how  almost  impossible  it  is  to  cor- 
rect this  after  the  formative  years  of  life. ' ' 

Articulation  has  to  do  primarily  with  the  conso- 
nant sounds  in  a  word ;  pronunciation,  with  the  vowel 
sounds.  Hence  the  general  rule :  ' '  Take  care  of  the 
consonants,  and  the  vowels  will  take  care  of  them- 
selves." You  may  mispronounce  a  w^ord  by  failing 
to  give  the  proper  vowel  sound  or  accent,  but  if  you 
articulate  distinctly  the  consonant  sounds,  your 
speech  will  be  distinct.  AMiile  every  word  one  utters 
is  a  test  in  articulation,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  practice 
consciously  to  bring  out — over-distinctly,  if  you 
please — the  initial  and  final  consonants ;  to  get  a  free 
movement  of  the  lower  jaw,  so  that  the  tones  may  go 
out  through  a  well-opened  mouth ;  to  focus  the  tone 
toward  the  front,  and  not  in  the  mouth  or  throat ;  tc 
avoid  speaking  so  rapidly  that  w^ords  are  all  run 


24  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

together;  to  speak  with  enough  snap  and  promptness 
so  that  you  do  not  drawl  your  words;  to  keep  the 
tongue  in  the  mouth  so  as  to  avoid  lisping;  and  to 
train  the  organs  of  articulation  to  take  an  accurate 
position  for  each  consonant  sound.  There  is  no  surer 
or  better  way  for  improving  the  articulation  than 
that  of  exercising  the  voice  and  articulatory  organs 
on  the  elementary  consonant  sounds  and  on  difficult 
combinations.  AYlienever  you  find  sounds  or  com- 
binations that  trouble  you,  practice  on  these  over 
and  over  again  until  you  have  mastered  them. 

EXEECISES 

Practice  separating  distinctly  the  syllables  in  the  follow- 
ing words :  government,  citizenship,  geography,  zo|ology,  ath- 
letics (three  syllables  only),  momentarily,  chronological, 
incomparably,  necessarily,  instrumentality,  irrefragibility, 
colloquially,  temporarily,  disciplinarian,  authoritatively,  in- 
explicable, congratulatory,  monocotyledonous. 

Practice  reading  the  following,  and  be  sure  to  articulate 
separately  and  very  distinctly  every  consonant  sound: 

1.  Goodness  centers  in  the  heart. 

2.  Make  clean  our  hearts. 

3.  Bring  a  bit  of  buttered  brown  bran  bread. 

4.  Dick  dipp^ed  a  tippet  in  the  dipper  and  dripped  it. 

5.  The  fading  flowers  breathe  forth  fresh  fragrance. 

6.  Henry  Hingham  has  hung  his  harp  on  the  hook  "where 
he  hitherto  hung  his  hoop. 

7.  Curtis  Kirkham  Kames  cruelly  kept  the  kite  while  his 
cousin  Catherine  Kennedy  cried. 


OKAL  EEADING  25 

8.  Lucy  likes  light  literature. 

9.  The  cat  ran  up  the  ladder  with  a  lump  of  raw  liver 
in  her  mouth. 

10.  She  says  she  shall  sew  a  sheet. 

11.  Should  such  shapely  sashes  shabby  stitches  show? 

12.  The  soldiers  winced  whilst  the  shells  burst  in  the 
midst  of  the  tents. 

13.  Through  the  street  the  strident  stripling  strides. 

14.  Beneath  the  booths  the  youths  found  cloths,  moths, 
paths,  and  wreaths. 

15.  If  one  of  the  twines  of  a  twist  do  untwist 

The  twine  that  untw^isteth,  untwisteth  the  twist. 

16.  "With  stoutest  wrists  and  loudest  boasts, 
He  thrusts  his  fists  against  the  posts 
And  still  insists  he  sees  the  ghosts. 

17.  I  did  not  say  wig,  heart,  ear,  hair,  and  all ;  but  I  said 
whig,  art,  hear,  air,  and  hall. 

18.  Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced  it  to 
you,  trippingly  on  the  tongue.  But  if  you  mouth  it,  as  many, 
of  your  players  do,  I  had  as  lief  the  town  crier  spake  my 
lines.  — Shakespeare. 

19.  And  the  Gileadites  took  the  passages  of  Jordan  be- 
fore the  Ephraimites:  and  it  was  so,  that  when  those 
Ephraimites  which  were  escaped  said.  Let  me  go  over; 
that  the  men  of  Gilead  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  an  Ephraim- 
ite?  If  he  said.  Nay;  then  said  they  unto  him.  Say  now 
Shibboleth ;  and  he  said  Sibboleth :  for  he  could  not  frame 
to  pronounce  it  right.  Then  they  took  him  and  slew  him  at 
the  passages  of  the  Jordan :  and  there  fell  at  that  time  of 
the  Ephraimites  forty  and  two  thousand. 

— Judges  xu,  5,  6. 

0 


26 


ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 


LESSON  5 


Pronunciation 


Articulation,  as  we  have  seen,  refers  to  distinctness 
in  uttering  words.  Pronunciation  refers  to  correct- 
ness of  sound  and  accent.  We  must  learn  to  give 
the  correct  sounds  in  pronouncing  words.  Anyone 
will  make  an  occasional  mistake  in  pronunciation,  but 
everyone  should  know  and  practice  the  correct  pro- 
nunciation of  the  more  common  words.  Remember 
that  pronunciation  is  quite  as  much  a  matter  of  habit 
as  of  knowledge,  and  that  a  '^ provincial"  habit  of 
mispronouncing  words  grates  on  the  ears  of  those 
who  know  good  usage.  The  dictionary  shows  how 
words  are  pronounced  by  the  best  speakers.  You 
must,  therefore,  "get  the  dictionary  habit"  and  look 
ap  all  words  of  which  you  are  not  sure. 


EXERCISES 

Practice  giving  the  more  common  elementary  sounds 
a  as  in  fate 
a  as  in  am    ^     /»       '      t 

in  arm^         _^P-_Ir- 

rn  all     OnJ-j^ 


a  as 
a  as 
e  as 
e  as 


in  eve 
in  fern 


1  as 
6  as 
6  as 
6  as 
oi  as  in  oil 


00  as  m  noon 
00  as  in  foot 


e  as  in  end 

i  as 


ou  as 

ow  as 

s   as 


in  out 

in  cow 
in  hiss 


in  ice 

in  Ul 

in  old 

in  order 

in  not      •4<(yr/U^ 


■tkJx 


s  as  in  usual 

sh  as  in  hush 

tir  as  in  thin 

th  as  in  then 

u  as  in  use 

fl  as  in  furl 

u  as  in  up 

wh  as  in  which 


ORAL  READING 


27 


2.  With  the  help  of  the  dictionary,  test  yourself  on  the 
following  list  of  words.  Add  to  this  list  other  words  that 
you  or  others  are  inclined  to  mispronounce : 


^  ^r-rA 


accej^t     , 

^^tlimated|_ 

cantonment 
cayenne 

either 
encore 

adept 

chastisement 

English 

matinee      ^    i 

adult 

cleanly 

envelope 

museum 

again 

clique          

epoch 

national 

amenable 

>rTl1imiP 

faucet 

oath 

Arab 

combatant 

February 

oaths 

asphalt 

contrary 

finance 

often 

athlete 

coterie 

gape 

piano 

bade 

courtesy 

genuine 

pretty 

biography 

>datay 

God 

recess 

bicycle 

decade 

granary 

Rio  Grande 

biology 

deficit 

harass 

route 

blouse 

depot 

hearth 

sirup 

bouquet 

depjths 

heinous 

toward 

bravado 

d^ail 

hypocrisy 

umbrella 

bulk 

docile 

interesting 

vaudeville 

calm 

dog 

Italian 

with 

canine 

duty 

juvenile 

Y 

XlESSON  6 

Pitch 

Is  your  voice  high-pitched,  medium,  or  low?  Do 
you  screech  when  you  speak  or  read,  or  do  you  mum- 
ble in  a  low  tone  ?  Can  you  easily  change  the  pitch  of 
your  voice?  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  changing  it  in 
reading?    Every  person  has  naturally  a  certain  pitch 


28  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

of  voice  in  which  he  or  she  can  speak  or  read  or  sing 
with  greatest  ease.  Girls'  voices  are  generally 
pitched  higher  than  are  those  of  boys,  and  as  one 
grows  older  the  pitch  commonly  becomes  lower ;  this 
is  what  is  meant  by  ''voice  changing."  Often  we 
find  that  one  has  acquired  the  habit  of  speaking  all 
the  time  in  a  high,  squeaky,  thin  tone,  while  another 
mumbles  in  an  unnaturally  low  tone.  One  with  a 
high-pitch  voice  usually  has  what  is  called  a  "head 
tone,"  and  frequently  talks  with  a  nasal  twang,  while 
one  with  a  very  low-pitch  voice  ' '  swallows  the  tone, ' ' 
and  does  not  send  it  out  to  the  hearer.  Either  of  these 
faults  should  be  corrected  by  finding  one's  median 
pitch,  that  is,  the  one  from  which  the  pitch  can  easily 
move  upward  or  do^\Tiward.  Just  as  we  do  not 
always  sing  in  the  same  key,  so  varied  pitch  in  read- 
ing should  be  sought.  For  example,  in  voicing  ideas 
that  are  joyous  or  light  or  exciting,  we  should  speak 
in  a  rather  high  pitch ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  when 
expressing  grand  or  sublime  or  solemn  thoughts,  we 
should  employ  a  low  pitch. 

EXEKCISES 

1.  On  the  musical  scale  a  bass  voice  will  vary  from  about 
G  (bass  staff)  to  D,  and  the  tenor  from  about  middle  C  to  G. 
Test  the  average  pitch  of  your  voice  on  a  piano  or  organ. 

2.  Test  the  compass  of  your  voice  by  sounding  6  up  and 
down  the  musical  scale. 

3.  Say  in  a  monotone,  "Repeat  it  over  and  over  again," 
in  just  as  low  a  pitch  as  you  can.    Then  pronounce  it  in  a 


ORAL  READING  29 

slightly  higher  pitch,  and  so  on  until  you  reach  the  highest 
pitch  possible.  Now  turn  about  and  gradually  come  down 
until  the  lowest  possible  pitch  is  reached. 

4.  Begin  very  low,  then  pronounce  with  a  rising  slide 
of  the  voice:    "Are  you  going  home  to-day?" 

5.  Begin  in  as  high  a  pitch  as  possible,  then  give  in  a 
pronounced  falling  slide:  "Now  my  voice  goes  tumbling 
down. ' ' 

6.  Read  in  high  pitch : 

Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new! 
Ring,  happy  bells,  across  the  snow ; 
The  year  is  going,  let  him  go ; 
Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true. 

7.  Read  in  medium  pitch :  There  is  a  river  in  the  ocean, 
Tn  the  severest  drouth  it  never  fails,  and  in  the  mightiest 
floods  it  never  overflows.  Its  banks  and  its  bottom  are  of 
cold  water,  while  its  current  is  of  warm.  The  Gulf  of 
Mexico  is  its  fountain,  and  its  mouth  is  in  the  Arctic  Ocean. 
It  is  the  Gulf  Stream. 

8.  Read  in  low  pitch :  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handiwork.  Day  unto 
day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowl- 
edge. 


LESSON  7 

Inflection 

By  inflection  is  meant  the  slide  of  the  voice  from 
one  pitch  to  another.  This  change  of  the  voice  may 
be  on  a  single  word,  or  throughout  a  phrase  or  sen- 
tence.   The  two  principal  movements  are  the  rising 


30  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

(^)  and  the  falling  (^)  inflection.  But  these  move- 
ments may  be  so  shaded  or  so  combined  that  they  tell 
more  truly  what  we  mean  than  do  our  words.  It  is 
the  power  of  inflection  to  change  the  meaning  of 
words  that  gave  rise  to  the  old  saying:  '*It  is  not 
so  much  what  you  say,  as  how  you  say  it." 

The  general  principle  is,  that  the  rising  inflection 
expresses  inquiry,  doubt,  uncertainty,  incomplete 
thought ;  the  falling  inflection  indicates  positiveness, 
certainty,  completeness  of  statement.  Sometimes 
both  the  rising  and  falling  inflections  are  used  on  a 
single  word.  This  is  called  the  circumflex,  and 
usually  denotes  a  double  meaning,  as  in  irony,  when 
one  really  intends  the  opposite  of  what  the  word  itself 
means. 

Inflections  in  reading  should  be  varied  and  nat- 
ural, and  suited  to  the  thought  and  emotion.  Absence 
of  inflection — reading  on  a  dead  level — is  monoto- 
nous and  inexpressive.  But  note  that  the  stronger 
the  feeling  the  less  the  inflection.  Wlien  we  are  sim- 
ply explaining  the  thought,  the  inflections  of  the 
voice  are  naturally  more  varied  and  pronounced. 
Deep  emotion  and  a  ''wriggly  voice"  do  not  go  well 
together.  When  the  thought  gives  rise  to  strong 
feeling,  it  gives  way  to  such  feeling,  and  the  emo- 
tion is  best  voiced  in  more  nearly  a  monotone. 

Practice  the  exercises  that  follow,  and  make  sure 
that  you  have  control  over  the  matter  of  inflection. 


ORAL  READING  31 


EXERCISES 


1.  Take  the  sentence,  "  Oh,  he 's  all  right, "  Give  it  first 
with  the  rising  inflection,  so  as  to  express  faint  praise,  or 
polite  doubt,  or  uncertainty  of  opinion.  Then  give  it  with 
the  falling  inflection,  expressing  enthusiastic  certainty  that 
he  is  all  right. 

2.  In  the  same  manner,  the  sentence,  "I  have  had  a  de- 
lightful time, ' '  when  spoken  by  a  frivolous  girl  to  her  hostess 
at  the  close  of  a  party,  would  take  an  altogether  different 
inflection  when  uttered  more  sincerely  by  another  to  a 
close  friend.  Mimic  the  two  characters  in  repeating  this 
saying,  and  observe  the  difference. 

3.  By  the  use  of  the  circumflex,  express  the  irony  in  the 
italicized  words:    "Ugh!  he  is  my  friend!" 

4.  Express  the  certainty  and  completeness  of  statement 
as  indicated  by  the  falling  inflection  in  the  following : 

Marley  was  dead,  to  begin  witli.  There  is  no  doubt  what- 
ever about  tha^!  The  register  of  his  burial  was  signed  by 
the  clergyman,  the  clerk,  the  undertaker,  and  the  chief 
mourner!  Scrooge  signed  i^!  And  Scrooge's  name  was 
good  upon  'Change  for  anything  he  chose  to  put  his  hand 
to!    Old  Marley  was  dead  as  a  doornail ! 

5.  Another  application  of  the  general  principle  of  inflec- 
tion is,  that  a  direct  question — one  that  can  be  answered  by 
yes  or  no — takes  the  rising  inflection,  while  an  indirect  ques- 
tion, or  one  that  cannot  be  answered  by  yes  or  no,  takes  the 
falling  inflection.  See  how  this  rule  works  out  in  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Scrooge  knew  he  was  dead?  Of  course  he  did.  How 
could  it  be  otherwise  ? 


32  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

LESSON  8 

Emphasis 

By  means  of  emphasis  we  bring  out  jDrominently 
the  words  that  are  the  most  important  for  the 
expression  of  the  thought  and  feeling.  This  may  be 
done  in  several  ways,  the  principal  means  being : 

(1)  By  pausing  before  or  after  a  word,  and  in  this 
way  calling  particular  attention  to  it.  ^ 

(2)  By  taking  more  time  in  pronouncing  an  impor 
tant  word. 

(3)  By  putting  special  stress  on  a  word.  By 
''stress"  is  meant  a  sudden  increase  of  force,  just 
as  you  denote  the  accented  syllable  of  a  word.  In 
fact,  in  words  of  two  or  more  syllables,  stress  is  sim- 
ply additional  accent. 

In  order  to  emphasize  correctly,  one  must  first,  of 
course,  have  a  clear  understanding  of  the  thought 
to  be  expressed.  Then  bring  out  prominently  the 
words  that  express  the  principal  ideas,  the  new  ideas, 
and  the  contrasted  ideas.  Do  not  emphasize  at  ran- 
dom, or  too  much.  For  example:  '' Destiny  is  not 
a  matter  of  chance.  It  is  a  matter  of  choice."  If 
you  read  these  two  sentences  all  in  a  monotone,  giving 
equal  value  to  each  word,  you  fail  to  express  the 
thought.  Four  of  the  words  plainly  need  emphasiz- 
ing. Destiny  is  one,  for  it  expresses  the  first  main 
idea  in  the  statement.  Not  should  be  stressed,  other- 
wise we  might  think  that  destiny  is  a  matter  of 


ORAL  READING  33 

cliance.  And  chance  needs  emphasizing,  both  because 
it  is  an  important  word  and  also  because  it  is  con- 
trasted with  choice  in  the  next  sentence.  The  big 
idea  in  the  second  sentence  is  contained  in  choice. 
So  emphasis  should  be  placed  as  follows:  Destine/ 
is  not  a  matter  of  chance.    It  is  a  matter  of  choice. 

EXERCISES 


ig: 


1.  Emphasize  the  italicized  words  in  the  followint 

a.  The  Bible  says,  not  that  money  is  the  root  of  all 
evil,  but  that  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all 
evil. 

b.  The  great  use  of  a  school  education  is  not  so  much 
to  teach  things,  as  to  teach  you  how  to  learn — to 
give  you  the  noble  art  of  learning,  which  you  can 
use  for  yourself  in  after  life  on  any  matter  to 
which  you  choose  to  turn  your  mind.  And  in 
what  does  the  art  of  learning  consist  f  First  and 
foremost,  in  the  art  of  ohserving.  That  is,  the 
boy  who  uses  his  eyes  best  on  his  book,  and  ob- 
serves the  words  and  letters  of  his  lesson  most 
accurately  and  carefully,  that  is  the  boy  who 
learns  his  lesson  hest. 

2.  Pause  at  the  dashes  in  the  following  extract,  and  note 
the  effect  in  way  of  emphasis : 

Training  in  public  speaking  is  not  a  matter  of  externals — 
primarily ;  it  is  not  a  matter  of  imitation — fundamentally ; 
it  is  not  a  matter  of  conformity  to  standards — at  all. 

ESENWEIN. 

3.  Determine  for  yourself  what  words  should  be  em- 
phasized in  reading  the  following : 


34  OKAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

a.  In  the  honeybee's  home  there  is  a  large  family. 
First  there  is  the  mother,  called  the  queen  bee, 
who  lays  the  eggs  for  the  whole  colony.  Then 
there  are  thousands  of  daughters  as  like  as  one 
pea  is  like  another.  These  are  called  workers,  for 
it  is  they  who  do  all  the  work  in  the  hive.  The 
drones,  their  brothers,  are  fine  gentlemen  who 
never  gather  honey  or  pollen,  nor  do  any  work, 
but  stay  at  home  and  are  taken  care  of  by  their 
sisters. 

b.  There  is  a  time  in  every  man's  experience  when 
he  arrives  at  the  conclusion  that  envy  is  ignorance ; 
that  imitation  is  suicide ;  that  he  must  take  him- 
self, for  better  or  for  worse,  as  his  portion ;  that 
though  the  wide  universe  is  full  of  good,  no  ker- 
nel of  nourishing  corn  can  come  to  him  but 
through  his  toil  bestowed  upon  that  plot  of  ground 
that  is  given  him  to  till.  The  power  that  resides 
in  him  is  new  in  nature,  and  none  but  he  knows 
what  that  is  which  he  can  do,  nor  does  he  know 
until  he  has  tried.  Therefore,  my  text  is.  Trust 
thyself.  Is  it  not  an  iron  string  to  which  vibrates 
every  heart?  — Emerson. 

LESSON  9 

Rate 

The  question  of  liow  fast  one  should  read  cannot 
be  answered  in  a  single  sentence.  First,  there  is  the 
question  of  general  rate  of  movement.  All  people 
do  not  naturally  speak  with  the  same  rapidity.  One 
who  is  of  a  nervous  temperament,  or  quick  of  move- 


ORAL  READING  35 

ment,  will  probably  talk  faster  than  a  calm,  slow- 
going  person.  But  the  one  may  talk  too  rapidly  and 
the  other  too  slowly  for  the  most  effective  utterance. 
So  it  is  in  reading;  one  person  may  need  to  slow 
down,  and  another  may  need  to  speed  up.  On  the 
one  hand,  a  reader  should  always  go  slowly  enough 
to  enunciate  clearly,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
should  avoid  a  monotonous  drawl. 

Aside  from  the  matter  of  prevailing  rate,  a  reader 
should  vary  the  rate  to  correspond  with  the  changing 
ideas  and  emotions.  This  is  one  way  of  making  your 
reading  natural,  for  in  ordinary  conversation  the 
rate  is  constantly  changing.  In  animated,  playful, 
or  buoyant  moods,  the  rate  is  fast.  In  unemotional 
matter,  moderate  rate  is  required,  while  deep  emo- 
tions of  solemnity  or  awe  require  very  slow  move- 
ment. Practice  using  the  appropriate  rate  in  the 
exercises  that  follow. 

EXERCISES 

1.  Read  each  of  the  following  sentences  in  the  same  rate : 

' '  I  can 't  recall  what  I  did  with  my  knife.  Oh,  now  I  re- 
member— I  gave  it  to  Mary." 

Now  say  the  first  sentence  slowly,  and  the  last  two  quickly 
and  note  how  natural  is  the  effect. 

2.  If  you  are  in  the  habit  of  reading  everything  rapidly, 
use  your  will  and  compel  yourself  to  go  more  slowly ;  think 
of  the  necessity  of  impressing  the  thought  upon  the  minds 
of  your  hearers  as  you  proceed.  Read  the  following  with 
the  indicated  rate,  and  note  the  effect : 


OQ  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING- 

Fast: 

Great  rats,  small  rats,  lean  rats,  brawny  rats^ 
Brown  rats,  black  rats,  grey  rats,  tawny  rats, 
Grave  old  plodders,  gay  young  friskers, 
Fathers,  mothers,  uncles,  cousins. 
Pointing  tails  and  pricking  whiskers, 
Families  by  tens  and  dozens, 
Brothers,  sisters,  husbands,  wives — 
Followed  the  Piper  for  their  lives. 

3Ioderate: 

Flower  in  the  crannied  wall, 

I  pluck  you  out  of  the  crannies, — 

Hold  you  here,  root  and  all,  in  my  hand, 

Little  flower — but  if  I  could  understand 

Wliat  you  are,  root  and  all,  and  all  in  all, 

I  should  know  what  God  and  man  is. 

Slow: 

Lord,  thou  has  been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  genera- 
tions. Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth,  or  ever 
thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world,  even  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  thou  art  God. 


LESSON  10 

Phrasing 

Tlip  proper  use  of  pauses  is  a  great  aid  in  making 
one's  reading  more  intelligible  and  impressive. 
Pauses  may  come  between  words,  phrases,  clauses, 
or  sentences.  One  may  pause  for  the  purpose  of 
emphasis.     ]5ut  the  pausing  we  are  now  concerned 


ORAL  EEADING  37 

with  refers  to  the  rest  or  cessation  of  voice  between 
the  words  or  groups  of  words  that  express  the  suc- 
cessive ideas — for  in  good  reading  we  must  express 
ideas  and  not  merely  call  out  words.  Now,  in  oral 
expression  those  words  that  together  express  an 
idea  are  called  a  phrase,  and  phrases  are  to  be  given 
in  a  single  breath,  without  pausing.  Between  phrases 
come  pauses  of  greater  or  less  length.  To  express 
ideas  rather  than  simply  single  words,  and  to  sepa- 
rate the  ideas  by  proper  pauses  between  them — this 
is  phrase-reading,  or  phrasing.  And  this  is  what 
good  reading  must  always  be.  A  reader  should  learn 
to  let  the  eyes  keep  a  trifle  ahead  of  the  voice  and  take 
in  a  phrase  at  a  glance,  so  that  it  may  be  expressed 
as  a  thought-unit. 

Now  the  absence  of  good  phrasing  will  appear  in 
one  of  tw^o  ways :  first,  by  practically  no  pauses  at  all, 
or,  secondly,  by  pausing  too  frequently.  One  fault  is 
as  bad  as  the  other.  To  continually  pour  out  words, 
like  a  school-boy  ^'speaking  a  piece,"  shows  an  utter 
lack  of  discrimination  between  the  thought-units ;  and 
pausing  ''every  other  word,"  as  w^e  say,  shows  a 
similar  lack. 

Eemember  that  a  pause  means — or  should  mean — 
just  as  much  as,  and  often  more  than,  the  spoken 
word.  Correct  pausing,  or  phrasing,  is  the  result  of 
clear  thinking.  A  pause  is  not  merely  ' '  an  interval 
of  time,"  for  the  reader's  mind  is  employed  in  seek- 
ing and  weighing  the  thought  or  idea  that  follows. 


38  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

No  wonder  that  we   speak   of  the   "eloquence   of 
silence. ' ' 

EXERCISES 

In  order  to  cultivate  easy,  thoughtful,  natural  phrasing, 
practice  reading  the  following  selections  by  pausing  a 
greater  or  less  time  at  the  vertical  lines,  hut  nowhere  else. 
Bead  with  evenness  of  movement — not  "steady  by  jerks" — 
and  make  the  indicated  phrasing  perfectly  natural  to  your- 
self. But  at  the  same  time  be  sure  you  do  not  pause  per- 
ceptibly except  at  the  vertical  lines : 

a.  Comrades,  |  leave  me  here  a  little,  ]  while  as  yet  'tis 
early  morn,  |  Leave  me  here,  [  and  when  you  want  me  | 
sound  upon  the  bugle  horn. 

b.  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd :  ]  I  shall  not  want.  ]  He 
maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures,  |  he  leadeth 
me  beside  the  still  waters.  |  He  restoreth  my  soul :  | 
he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteousnss  for  his 
name's  sake.  ]  Yea,  |  though  I  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  ]  I  will  fear  no  evil :  | 
for  thou  art  with  me ;  \  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  \  they 
comfort  me. 

LESSON  11 

Force 
Good  reading  must  always  be  sympathetic.  When 
ideas  stir  the  emotions,  the  feeling  should  find 
expression  in  the  voice.  You  must  not  only  feel  what 
you  are  reading,  but  you  must  put  this  feeling  into 
the  reading.  If  you  do,  a  listener  will  say  that 
you    read    with   ''earnestness,"    or    ** energy,"    or 


ORAL  READING  39 

' '  strength, "  or  "  force. ' '  If  you  do  not,  you  will  be 
called  "dull,"  ''dry,"  "lifeless,"  "without  force." 
Force,  then,  refers  to  the  energy,  the  power  with 
which  one  speaks.  Forceful  expression  often  results 
in  a  louder  tone,  but  not  always,  for  sometimes  the 
strongest  feelings  are  voiced  in  quiet  tones.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  force  in  oral  expression  is 
always  a  result  of  the  emotions  that  are  connected 
with  the  ideas  one  is  expressing,  and  therefore  it 
cannot  be  put  on  from  the  outside.  However,  one 
who  is  naturally  timid  or  subdued  or  lifeless  can 
wake  himself  up  by  an  exercise  of  the  will.  On  the 
other  hand,  one  who  reads  in  a  loud,  blustering  man- 
ner should  learn  to  subdue  his  tones,  and  to  vary  his 
force  by  using  it  in  such  manner  and  places  as  the 
thought  requires.  Watch  yourself  in  these  respects, 
and  practice  reading  the  selections  that  follow  in 
order  that  you  may  learn  to  appreciate  and  use  the 
different  kinds  and  degrees  of  force  that  natural, 
effective  reading  requires. 

EXERCISES 

Practice  reading  the  following  selections  with  the  proper 
kind  and  degree  of  force : 

1.     Gentle: 

0  hark,  0  hear !  how  thin  and  clear, 
And  thinner,  clearer,  farther  going; 
0  sweet  and  far,  from  cliff  and  scar, 
The  horns  of  Elfland  faintly  blowing. 


40  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

2.  Moderate: 

Once  or  twice  in  a  lifetime  we  are  permitted  to  enjoy  the 
charm  of  noble  manners,  in  the  presence  of  men  or  women 
w^ho  have  no  bar  in  their  nature,  but  whose  character  ema- 
nates freely  in  their  word  and  gesture.  A  beautiful  form  is 
better  than  a  beautiful  face ;  a  beautiful  behavior  is  better 
than  a  beautiful  form :  it  gives  a  higher  pleasure  than 
statues  or  pictures, — it  is  the  finest  of  the  fine  arts. 

3.  Strong: 

As  the  line  halted  Napoleon  shouted  to  the  drummer-boy, 
''Beat  a  retreat!"  The  boy  stepped  forward,  grasped  his 
drumsticks  and  said,  "Sire,  I  do  not  know  how.  Desais 
has  never  taught  me  that.  But  I  can  beat  a  charge.  Oh ! 
I  can  beat  a  charge  that  will  make  the  very  dead  fall  into 
line.  I  beat  that  charge  at  the  Pyramids  once.  I  beat  it  at 
Mount  Tabor,  and  I  beat  it  again  at  the  Bridge  of  Lodi. 
May  I  beat  it  here?" 

LESSON  12 

Volume 

If  you  were  speaking  of  a  mountain  daisy,  you 
would  naturally  use  a  lighter,  thinner  tone  than  in 
describing  a  mountain.  So,  if  you  were  telling  at 
one  time  about  an  undersized  man,  and  at  another 
time  about  a  giant,  the  size  of  each  object  would  be 
measured,  in  a  way,  by  the  size  of  your  voice.  That 
is,  when  we  express  ideas  of  bigness,  we  naturally 
use  a  big  voice,  and  this  is  w^hat  is  meant  by  volume. 
Certain  words  or  sentences  or  parts  of  almost  any 
selection  should  be  heavier  and  bigger  than  other 


OKAL  BEADING  41 

parts.  This,  as  you  will  see,  is  another  way  of 
bringing  out  that  variety  in  expression  w^hich  will 
make  your  reading  less  monotonous  and  more  nat- 
ural. In  order  to  use  increased  volume  first  think 
of  the  idea  to  be  expressed,  then  express  it  with  a 
big  voice, — expanding  the  words,  roll  them  out,  not 
necessarily  louder,  but  bigger,  taking  more  time  than 
usual  in  pronouncing  them. 

EXERCISES 

Practice  the  use  of  volume  on  the  selections  that  follow, 
but  be  sure  that  you  first  get  the  idea  of  bigness ;  then  see 
how  natural  it  is  to  use  volume  to  express  such  ideas. 

1.  It  grew,  a  starlit  flag  unfurled  ! 

It  grew  to  be  Time's  burst  of  dawn. 
He  gained  a  world;  he  gave  that  world 
Its  grandest  lesson :    ' '  On !  sail  on ! " 

2.  Let  me  say  with  my  last  breath,  ' '  Independence  now, 
and  independence  forever ! ' ' 

3.  Standing  hand  in  hand,  and  clasping  hands,  let  us 
remain  united ;  citizens  of  the  same  country,  members  of  the 
same  government,  united  now  and  united  forever. 


LESSON  13 

Quality 

By  quality  of  tone  we  mean  the  way  the  voice 
sounds.  The  term  is  often  used  in  two  senses,  in  a 
general  and  in  a  special  or  technical  signification. 
In  its  general  sense  we  disting-uish  voices  by  their 


42  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

differences  in  quality.  A  person  is  known  by  his 
voice.  We  say  that  this  person's  voice  is  harsh  or 
grating,  and  this  one 's  is  smooth  and  pleasing.  We 
speak  of  how  desirable  it  is  to  cultivate  a  pure  tone 
and  pleasing  quality  of  voice,  in  treating  of  voice 
culture.  The  quality  of  voice  is  determined  by  the 
texture  of  the  muscles  controlling  the  vocal  cords 
and  the  resonance  cavities. 

In  its  more  technical  sense,  quality  means  the  tone 
appropriate  for  voicing  the  different  emotions.  Re- 
member that  good  reading  must  not  only  be  intelligi- 
ble, but  also  sympathetic.  You  must  not  only  bring 
out  the  thought,  but  also  the  feeling  in  what  you  are 
reading.  Different  feelings,  or  emotions,  will  nat- 
urally be  expressed  in  different  tones.  Thus,  the 
quality  of  tone  in  the  expression  of  enthusiasm  or 
joy  will  be  different  from  that  expressing  anger  or 
sadness.  These  different  tones  cannot,  of  course, 
be  put  on  from  the  outside.  You  must  first  feel  an 
emotion  before  you  can  express  it.  But  the  point  is, 
' '  Get  into  the  spirit ' '  of  what  you  are  reading.  Make 
your  oral  expression  truly  sympathetic,  and  don't  be 
ashamed  or  afraid  to  show  such  feeling  as  the  read- 
ing requires.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  quality  or 
' '  tone-color. ' ' 

EXERCISES 

"Wliat  kind  of  feelinpr,  or  emotion,  belongs  to  each  of  the 
following  extracts?  What  kind  or  (luality  of  voice  would 
you  use  in  reading  each? 


ORAL  READING  43 

1.  Hush!    Don't  wake  the  baby. 

2.  The  miserable  cur — ^how  I  do  dislike  him. 

3.  They  say  that  in  his  prime 
Ere  the  pruning-kiiife  of  Time 

Cut  him  down, 
Not  a  better  man  was  found 
By  the  crier  on  his  round 

Through  the  town. 

4.  But  now  he  walks  the  streets, 
And  he  looks  at  all  he  meets 

Sad  and  wan; 
And  he  shakes  his  feeble  head, 
That  it  seems  as  if  he  said, 

' '  They  are  gone. ' ' 


LESSONS  14-24 

Selections  for  Practice  in  Oral  Reading 

Following  are  a  fe^v  selections  for  class  drill  in 
oral  reading,  each  preceded  by  some  general  sug- 
gestions as  to  interpretation  and  delivery.  These 
should  be  used  for  practice  in  synthetic  expression, 
that  is,  for  rendering  effectively  a  selection  as  a 
whole.  Other  selections  can  readily  be  secured,  when 
desired,  from  the  required  readings  in  the  English 
literature  classes,  or  elsewhere. 

Students  should  practice  reading  these  selections 
in  turn,  first  simply  rising  from  their  seats  and  later 
stepping  out  before  the  class,  giving  due  attention 


44  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

to  the  manner  of  liolcling  the  book,  the  position  of 
the  body,  and  to  learning  to  look  away  from  the 
printed  page  to  the  hearers  occasionally.  This 
requires,  of  course,  that  it  should  be  phrase  reading, 
thought  reading,  and  not  merely  word  reading;  and 
the  ability  to  look  ahead  and  take  in  a  phrase  or  sen- 
tence at  a  glance  can  be  acquired  by  a  little  practice ; 
indeed,  if  proper  instruction  in  reading  has  beeUv 
given  in  the  lower  grades,  students  using  this  book 
will  already  have  formed  this  habit. 

Supplementary  exercises  in  oral  reading  may  con- 
sist, wnen  time  permits,  in  asking  each  member  of 
the  class  to  bring  in  an  interesting  selection  gleaned 
from  current  newspapers  or  magazines  and  to  read 
it  to  the  class. 

France  at  the  Opening  of  the  World  War 

ROBERT   W.   CHAMBERS 

This  selection  is  adapted  from  a  story  published  in  the  Cosmopolitan 
for  June,  1916.  For  a  keener  appreciation  of  its  meaning,  review  the 
history  of  the  Franco-Prussian  War  and  of  the  part  France  played 
at  the  beginning  of  the  World  War.  In  reading,  special  effort  should 
be  made  to  present  smoothly  the  many  shifting  scenes  of  the  war 
drama,  the  while  voicing  the  suspense  felt  in  France  and  the  winsome 
appeal  of  ' '  the  far  cry  from  beyond  the  Vosges. ' ' 

On  August  5,  1914,  in  the  little  town  of  Ausone,  in  eastern 
France,  there  were  few  signs  of  war  visible,  except  the  exodus 
of  the  young  men  and  the  crowds  before  the  bulletins.  On 
one  of  the  bulletin  boards  was  nailed  the  order  for  general 
mobilization ;  on  the  other,  a  terse  paragraph  announced  that 
on  Sunday,  August  2,  German  soldiers  had  entered  the  city 


ORAL  READING  45 

of  Luxemburg,  crossed  the  grand  duchy,  and  were  already 
skirmishing  with  Belgian  cavalry  around  Liege  and  with 
French  troops  before  Longwy.  In  other  terms,  the  Teutonic 
invasion  had  begun ;  German  troops  were  already  on  French 
soil,  for  Longwy  is  the  most  northern  of  the  republic's 
fortifications. 

And  Germany  had  not  yet  declared  war  on  either  France 
or  Belgium,  nor  had  England  declared  war  on  Germany, 
nor  had  Austria,  as  yet,  formally  declared  war  on  Kussia. 

But  there  seemed  to  be  no  doubt,  no  confusion,  in  the 
minds  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ausone  concerning  what  was 
happening,  and  what  fate  still  concealed  behind  a  veil  al' 
ready  growing  transparent  enough  to  see  through — already 
lighted  by  the  infernal  flashes  of  German  rifle-fire  before 
Longwy. 

Everybody  in  Ausone  knew,  everybody  in  France  under- 
stood. A  great  stillness  settled  over  the  republic,  as 
though  the  entire  land  had  paused  to  kneel  a  moment  before 
the  long  day  of  work  began. 

Amid  the  vast  silence,  as  the  nation  rose  serenely  from 
its  knees,  millions  of  flashing  eyes  were  turned  toward  Alsace 
and  Lorraine — eyes  dimmed  for  an  instant,  then  instantly 
clear  again — clear  and  steady  as  the  sound  and  logical  minds 
controlling  them. 

Meanwhile,  the  spinning  world  swung  on  around  its  orbit ; 
tides  rose  and  ebbed ;  the  twin  sentinels  of  the  skies  relieved 
each  other  as  usual,  and  a  few  billion  stars  waited  patiently 
for  eternity. 

Ausone  was  waiting,  too,  amid  its  still  trees  and  ripening 
fields.  In  the  summer  world  around,  no  hint  of  impending 
change  disturbed  the  calm  serenity  of  that  August  after- 
noon— no  sense  of  waiting,  no  prophecy  of  gathering  storms. 
But  in  men's  hearts  reigned  the  breathless  stillness  which 
heralds  tempests. 


46  ORAL  ENGLISH  ANb  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Silently  as  a  kestrel's  shadow  gliding  over  the  grass,  au 
ominous  shade  sped  over  sunny  France,  darkening  the  light 
in  millions  of  smiling  eyes,  subduing  speech,  stilling  all 
pulses,  cautioning  a  nation's  ardent  heart  and  conjuring  its 
ears  to  listen  and  its  lips  to  silence. 

And  as  France  sat  silent,  listening,  hand  lightly  resting  on 
her  hilt,  came  the  far  cry  from  beyond  the  Vosges — the 
voice  of  her  lost  children,  the  long-mourned  Alsace  and 
Lorraine. 

Now  she  had  risen  to  her  feet,  loosening  the  blade  in  its 
scabbard.  But  she  had  not  yet  drawn  it;  she  still  stood 
listening  to  the  distant  shots  from  Longwy  in  the  north,  to 
the  noise  of  the  western  wind  blowing  across  the  Channel ; 
and  always  she  heard,  from  the  east,  the  lost  voices  of  her 
best  beloved,  calling,  calling  her  from  beyond  the  Vosges. 

In  Flanders'  Fields 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL    JOHN   MCCRAE 

The  author  of  the  following  poem  died  in  France  on  January  28, 
1918,  after  four  years  of  service  with  the  Canadian  troops  on  the 
western  front.  The  poem  first  appeared  in  London  Punch,  and  is 
reprinted  here  by  kind  permission  of  the  author  's  father,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  David  MeCrae,  of  Guclph,  Ontario,  Canada.  This  poem  and 
the  "Answer"  that  follows  should  be  read  together.  By  all  means 
avoid  rendering  the  thought  and  resulting  emotions  of  these  appealing 
poems  in  a  "  sing-song. ' '  Note  that  some  of  the  lines  require  no  pause 
at  the  end.  The  best  general  rule  is,  to  read  a  poem  as  you  would 
prose,  and  the  rhythm  will  take  care  of  itself. 

In  Flanders'  fields  the  poppies  grow 
Between  the  crosses,  row  on  row. 
That  mark  our  place,  and  in  the  sky 
The  larks  still  bravely  singing  fly. 
Scarce  heard  amid  the  guns  below. 


OEAL  BEADING  47 

We  are  the  dead ;  short  days  ago 
We  lived,  felt  dawn,  saw  sunsets  glow, 
Loved  and  were  loved,  and  now  we  lie 
In  Flanders'  fields. 

Take  up  our  quarrel  with  the  foe ! 
To  you  from  failing  hands  we  throw 
The  torch ;  be  yours  to  hold  it  high. 
If  ye  break  faith  with  us  who  die 
We  shall  not  sleep,  though  poppies  blow 
In  Flanders'  fields. 

In  Flanders'  Fields 

An  Answer 

c.  b.  galbreath 

In  Flanders'  fields  the  cannon  boom, 
And  fitful  flashes  light  the  gloom, 
While  up  above,  like  eagles,  fly 
The  fierce  destroyers  of  the  sky ; 
With  stains  the  earth  wherein  you  lie 
Is  redder  than  the  poppy  bloom 
In  Flanders'  fields. 

Sleep  on,  ye  brave.   The  shrieking  shell. 
The  quaking  trench,  the  startled  yell. 
The  fury  of  the  battle  hell 
Shall  wake  you  not,  for  all  is  well. 
Sleep  peacefully,  for  all  is  well. 

Your  flaming  torch  aloft  we  bear. 
With  burning  heart  an  oath  we  swear 
To  keep  the  faith,  to  fight  it  through 
To  crush  the  foe,  or  sleep  with  you 
In  Flanders'  fields. 


48  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

The  Making  of  Our  Country's  Flag 

FRANKLIN  K.  LANK 

This  selection  has  an  interesting  history.  It  was  delivered  by  Mr. 
Lane,  U.  S.  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  before  an  audience  composed 
of  government  employees  at  Washington.  Bring  out  the  dialogue 
naturally,  denoting  the  changes  as  each  character  speaks.  The  last 
paragraph  is  a  strong  climax,  and  requires  sustained  feeling  and  force. 

This  morning,  as  I  passed  into  the  Land  Office,  the  flag 
dropped  me  a  most  cordial  salutation,  and  from  its  rippling 
folds  I  heard  it  say :    "  Good  morning,  Mr.  Flag-maker. ' ' 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Old  Glory,"  I  said,  "you  are  mis- 
taken. I  am  not  the  President  of  the  United  States,  nor 
the  Vice-President,  nor  a  member  of  Congress,  nor  even  a 
General  in  the  Army.    I  am  only  a  Government  clerk." 

"I  greet  you  again,  Mr.  Flag-maker,"  replied  the  gay 
voice.  ' '  I  know  you  well.  You  are  the  man  who  worked  in 
the  swelter  of  yesterday  straightening  out  the  tangle  of  that 
farmer's  homestead  in  Idaho." 

"No,  I  am  not,"  I  was  forced  to  confess. 

"Well,  perhaps  you  are  the  one  who  discovered  the  mis^ 
take  in  that  Indian  contract  in  Oklahoma?" 

"No,  wrong  again,"  I  said. 

' '  Well,  you  helped  to  clear  that  patent  for  the  hopeful  in- 
ventor in  New  York,  or  pushed  the  opening  of  that  new 
ditch  in  Colorado,  or  made  that  mine  in  Illinois  more  safe, 
or  brought  relief  to  the  old  soldier  in  Wyoming.  No  matter, 
whichever  one  of  these  beneficent  individuals  you  may 
luippen  to  be,  I  give  you  greeting,  Mr,  Flag-maker. ' ' 

I  was  about  to  pass  on,  feeling  that  I  was  being  mocked, 
when  the  flag  stopped  me  with  these  words : 

"You  know,  the  world  knows,  that  yesterday  the  Presi- 
dent spoke  a  word  that  made  happier  the  future  of  ten 
million  peons  in  Mexico,  but  that  act  looms  no  larger  on 


ORAL  READING  49 

the  flag  than  the  struggle  which  the  boy  in  Georgia  is  mak- 
ing to  win  the  corn-club  prize  this  summer.  Yesterday  the 
Congress  spoke  a  word  which  will  open  the  door  of  Alaska, 
but  a  mother  in  Michigan  worked  from  sunrise  until  far 
into  the  night  to  give  her  boy  an  education.  She,  too,  is 
making  the  flag.  Yesterday  we  made  a  new  law  to  prevent 
financial  panics ;  yesterday,  no  doubt  a  school-teacher  in 
Ohio  taught  his  first  letters  to  a  boy  who  will  write  a  song 
that  will  give  cheer  to  the  millions  of  our  race.  We  are  all 
making  the  flag." 

*'But,"   I   said,   impatiently,   "these   people  were   only 
working. ' ' 

Then  came  a  great  shout  from  the  flag. 

"Let  me  tell  you  who  I  am.  The  work  that  we  do  is  the 
making  of  the  real  flag.  I  am  not  the  flag,  at  all.  I  am  but 
its  shadow.  I  am  whatever  you  make  me,  nothing  more.  I 
am  your  belief  in  yourself,  your  dream  of  what  a  people 
may  become.  I  live  a  changing  life,  a  life  of  moods  and 
passions,  of  heart  breaks  and  tired  muscles.  Sometimes  I 
am  strong  with  pride,  when  men  do  an  honest  work,  fitting 
the  rails  together  truly.  Sometimes  I  droop,  for  then  pur- 
pose has  gone  from  me,  and  cynically  I  play  the  coward. 
Sometimes  I  am  loud,  garish,  and  full  of  that  ego  that  blasts 
judgment.  But  always  I  am  all  that  you  hope  to  be  and 
have  the  courage  to  try  for.  I  am  song  and  fear,  struggle 
and  panic,  and  ennobling  hope.  I  am  the  day's  work  of  the 
weakest  man  and  the  largest  dream  of  the  most  daring.  I 
am  the  Constitution  and  the  courts,  statutes  and  statute- 
makers,  soldier  and  dreadnought,  drayman  and  street-sweep, 
cook,  counselor,  and  clerk.  I  am  the  battle  of  yesterday  and 
the  mistake  of  tomorrow.  I  am  the  mystery  of  the  men  who 
do  without  knowing  why.  I  am  the  clutch  of  an  idea  and 
the  reasoned  purpose  of  resolution.  I  am  no  more  than  what 
you  believe  me  to  be,  and  I  am  all  that  you  believel  can  be. 


50  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

I  am  what  you  make  me,  nothing  more.  I  swing  before  your 
eyes  as  a  bright  gleam  of  color,  a  symbol  of  yourself,  the 
pictured  suggestion  of  that  big  thing  which  makes  this  na- 
tion. My  stars  and  my  stripes  are  your  dreams  and  your 
labors.  They  are  bright  with  cheer,  brilliant  with  courage, 
firm  with  faith,  because  you  have  made  them  so  out  of  your 
hearts,  for  you  are  the  makers  of  the  flag,  and  it  is  well  that 
you  glory  in  the  making." 

The  Power  of  Music 

WILLIAM   SHAKESPEARE 

The  following  is  an  excerpt  from  the  love  scene  between  Lorenzo 
and  Jessica,  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice.  The  scene  must  be  recalled 
as  one  reads  the  lines :  the  lovers  talking  in  the  moonlight,  while  from 
a  nearby  house  is  heard  sweet  music.  Musical  tones  are  of  course  re- 
quired to  echo  the  thought  and  sentiment.  The  rate  is  generally  slow, 
but  note  how  it  should  be  varied  in  stanza  2,  following  a  marked 
transition.  Note  also  what  a  fine  opportunity  for  expressing  a  climax 
is  offered  in  the  three  lines  (stanza  3)  ending  with  "spoils."  Begin 
in  a  low  pitch,  then  rise  slightly  in  pitch  at  each  succeeding  line,  with 
a  corresponding  increase  in  force  until  the  climax  is  reached. 

1 

How  sweet  the  moonlight  sleeps  upon  this  bank ! 
Here  will  we  sit,  and  let  the  sounds  of  music 
Creep  in  our  ears ;  soft  stillness,  and  the  night, 
Become  the  touches  of  sweet  harmony. 
Sit,  Jessica.    Look  how  the  floor  of  heaven 
Is  thick  inlaid  with  patines  of  bright  gold. 
There's  not  the  smallest  orb  which  thou  behold 'st 
But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings. 
Still  quiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubim : 
Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls ; 
But  whilst  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 
Doth  grossly  close  it  in,  we  cannot  hear  it.    .     .    . 


ORAL  READING  51 


For  do  but  note  a  wild  and  wanton  herd, 

Or  race  of  youthful  and  unhandled  colts, 

Fetching  mad  bounds,  bellowing,  and  neighing  loud, 

Which  is  the  hot  condition  of  their  blood ; 

If  they  but  hear  perchance  a  trumpet  sound. 

Or  any  air  of  music  touch  their  ears. 

You  shall  perceive  them  make  a  mutual  stand, 

Their  savage  eyes  turned  to  a  modest  gaze, 

By  the  sweet  power  of  music. 


Therefore,  the  poet, 
Did  feign  that  Orpheus  drew  trees,  stones,  and  floods ; 
Since  nought  so  stockish,  hard,  and  full  of  rage, 
But  music  for  the  time  doth  change  his  nature ; 
The  man  that  hath  no  music  in  himself. 
Nor  is  not  moved  with  concord  of  sweet  sounds, 
Is  fit  for  treasons,  stratagems,  and  spoils ; 
The  motions  of  his  spirit  are  dull  as  night, 
And  his  affections  dark  as  Erebus. 
Let  no  such  man  be  trusted. 

The  Other  Fellow 

WILLIAM    HAWLEY    SMITH 

This  selection  will  furnish  an  excellent  opportunity  for  practice 
in  emphasis.  Go  rather  slowly  through  the  first  paragraph,  dwelling 
upon  and  emphasizing  such  words  as  "yourself"  and  "the  Other 
Fellow,"  so  that  your  hearers  will  get  the  point  of  this  talk  at  the 
outset.  Then  try  to  read  what  the  Other  Fellow  says  just  as  you 
imagine  he  would  say  it  in  each  case. 

Dr.  Oliver  "Wendell  Holmes  says  that  in  JDY^^  one  of  us 
there  are  two  persons.     First,  there  is  yourself,  and  then 


52  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

there  is  the  Other  Fellow !  Now  one  of  these  is  all  the  time 
doing  things,  and  the  other  sits  inside  and  tells  what  he 
thinks  about  the  performance.  Thus,  I  do  so-and-so,  act 
so-and-so,  seem  to  the  world  so-and-so ;  but  the  Other  Fel- 
low sits  in  judgment  on  me  all  the  time. 

I  may  tell  a  lie,  and  do  it  so  cleverly  that  the  people  may 
think  that  I  have  done  or  said  a  great  or  good  thing ;  and 
they  may  shout  my  praises  far  and  wide.  But  the  Other 
Fellow  sits  inside,  and  says,  "You  lie!  you  lie!  you're  a 
sneak,  and  you  know  it!"  I  tell  him  to  shut  up,  to  hear 
what  the  people  say  about  me;  but  he  only  continues  to 
repeat  over  and  over  again,  "You  lie!  you  lie!  you're  a 
sneak,  and  you  know  it!" 

Or,  again,  I  may  do  a  really  noble  deed,  but  perhaps  be 
misunderstood  by  the  public,  who  may  persecute  me  and 
say  all  manner  of  evil  against  me,  falsely;  but  the  Other 
Fellow  will  sit  inside  and  say,  "Never  mind,  old  boy!  It's 
all  right!    Standby!" 

And  I  would  rather  hear  the  "well  done"  of  the  Other 
Fellow  than  the  shouts  of  praise  of  the  whole  world ;  while 
I  would  a  thousand  times  rather  that  the  people  should 
shout  and  hiss  themselves  hoarse  with  rage  and  envy,  than 
that  the  Other  Fellow  should  sit  inside  and  say,  ' '  You  lie ! 
you  lie!  you're  a  sneak,  and  you  know  it!" 

Prospice 

ROBERT  BROWNING 

"Prospice,"  is  the  Latin  for  "outlook,"  or  literally,  "Look  for- 
ward." The  poet  here  contemplates  the  end  of  life.  It  requires  a 
mature  mind  to  grasp  the  thought,  and  a  pupil  below  the  sixth  or 
seventh  grades  should  hardly  attempt  orally  to  interpret  this  poem. 
The  poet  would  face  death  open-eyed  and  fighting.  Note  the  play  of 
the  deepest  apd  strongest  emotions  as  the  "Arch  Fear"  is  first  faced, 
then  conquered,  and  blended,  into  a  "peace  out  of  pain,"  then  the 


ORAL  READING  53 

climax  is  reached  in  the  expressed  faith,  trust,  and  adoration  borne 
by  the  three  closing  lines. 

1 

Fear  death  ? — to  feel  the  fog  in  my  throat, 

The  mist  in  my  face, 
When  the  snows  begin,  and  the  blast  denote 

I  am  nearing  the  place. 
The  power  of  the  night,  the  press  of  the  storm, 

The  post  of  the  foe; 
Where  he  stands,  the  Arch  Fear  in  a  visible  form, 

Yet  the  strong  man  must  go ; 
For  the  journey  is  done  and  the  summit  attained. 

And  the  barriers  fall. 
Though  a  battle 's  to  fight  ere  the  guerdon  be  gained. 

The  reward  of  it  all. 
I  was  ever  a  fighter,  so — one  fight  more, 

The  best  and  the  last ! 
I  would  hate  that  death  bandaged  my  eyes,  and  forebore, 

And  bade  me  creep  past. 


No !  let  me  taste  the  whole  of  it,  fare  like  my  peers, 

The  heroes  of  old, 
Bear  the  brunt,  in  a  minute  pay  glad  life's  arrears 

Of  pain,  darkness  and  cold, 
For  sudden  the  worst  turns  the  best  to  the  brave. 

The  black  minute's  at  end, 
And  the  elements '  rage,  the  fiend-voices  that  rave, 

Shall  dwindle,  shall  blend. 
Shall  change,  shall  become  first  a  peace  out  of  pain. 

Then  a  light,  then  thy  breast, 
O  thou  soul  of  my  soul !    I  shall  clasp  thee  again. 

And  with  God  be  the  rest ! 


54  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

The  Masterpiece  of  God 

ELBERT  HUBBARD 

In  preparation  for  reading  this  selection,  which  will  bear  intensive 
work,  study  a  reproduction  of  the  ' '  Mona  Lisa. ' '  A  slow  rate,  per- 
mitting ample  time  for  the  imagination  to  work  and  for  the  emotional 
coloring  of  the  words,  is  required  for  effective  expression. 

The  human  face  is  the  masterpiece  of  God.  A  woman's 
smile  may  have  in  it  more  sublimity  than  a  sunset;  more 
pathos  than  a  battle-scarred  landscape ;  more  warmth  than 
the  sun 's  bright  rays ;  more  love  than  words  can  say.  The 
human  face  is  the  masterpiece  of  God. 

On  the  walls  of  the  Louvre,  in  Paris,  hangs  the  "Mona 
Lisa"  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci.  This  picture  has  been  four 
hundred  years  an  exasperation  and  an  inspiration  to  every 
portrait-painter  who  has  put  brush  to  palette.  Well  does 
Walter  Pater  call  it  "The  Despair  of  Painters."  The 
artist  was  over  fifty  years  of  age  when  he  began  the  work, 
and  he  was  four  years  in  completing  the  task. 

There  is  in  the  face  all  you  can  read  into  it  and  nothing 
else.  It  is  as  silent  as  the  lips  of  Meranon,  as  voiceless  as 
the  Sphinx.  It  suggests  to  you  every  joy  that  you  have 
ever  felt,  every  sorrow  you  have  ever  known,  every  triumph 
you  have  ever  experienced. 

This  woman  is  beautiful,  just  as  all  life  is  beautiful  when 
we  are  in  health.  She  has  no  quarrel  with  the  world— she 
loves  and  she  is  loved  again.  No  vain  longing  fills  her 
heart,  no  feverish  unrest  disturbs  her  dreams,  for  her  no 
crouching  fears  haunt  the  passing  hours— that  ineffable 
smile  which  plays  round  her  mouth  says  plainly  that  life 
is  good. 

Back  of  her  stretches  her  life,  a  mysterious  purple  shadow. 
Do  you  not  see  the  palaces  turned  to  dust,  the  broken  col- 


OEAL  BEADING  55 

umns,  the  sunken  treasures,  the  creeping  mosses,  and  the 
rank  ooze  of  fretted  waters  that  have  undermined  cities  and 
turned  kingdoms  into  desert  seas?  The  galleys  of  pagan 
Greece  have  swung  wide  for  her  on  the  unforgetting  tide^ 
for  her  soul  dwelt  in  the  body  of  Helen  of  Troy,  and  Pallas. 
Athene  has  followed  her  ways  and  whispered  to  her  even, 
the  secrets  of  the  gods.  Aye !  not  only  was  she  Helen,  but 
she  was  Leda,  the  mother  of  Helen.  Then  she  was  St.  Anne^ 
mother  of  Mary;  and  next  she  was  Mary,  visited  by  an 
angel  in  a  dream,  and  followed  by  the  wise  men  who  had 
seen  the  Star  in  the  East.  And  so  this  Lady  of  the  Beauti- 
ful Hands  stood  to  Leonardo  as  the  embodiment  of  a  per- 
petual life ;  moving  in  a  constantly  ascending  scale,  gather- 
ing wisdom,  graciousness,  love,  even  as  he  himself  in  this 
life  met  every  experience  half-way  and  counted  it  joy,  know- 
ing that  experience  is  the  germ  of  power. 

Life  writes  its  history  upon  the  face,  so  that  all  those  who 
have  had  a  like  experience  read  and  understand.  The 
human  face  is  the  masterpiece  of  God. 


Apple  Blossoms 


WILLIAM   WESLEY   MARTIN 

Have  yow  seen  an  apple  orchard  in  the  spring?  Then  you  cam 
appreciate  the  beauty  and  charm  of  this  rare  poem.  In  order  to  avoid 
a  sing-song  in  delivery,  vary  the  emphasis  and  inflection  as  you  repeat 
* '  in  the  spring, ' '  and  don 't  pause  before  the  last  lines  of  stanzas 
1,  3  and  5.  For  the  same  purpose,  as  well  as  to  bring  out  the  thought, 
study  carefully  for  the  proper  placing  of  emphasis.  Thus  in  stanza 
1,  emphasize  "apple  orchard"  and  "English";  in  stanza  2, 
"plucked";  in  stanza  3,  "walked";  in  stanza  4,  "bridal"  and 
"everywhere";   in  stanza  5,  "not"  and  "know."     If  these  words 

be  noted  for  primary  emphasis,   other   words   will  naturally   receive 

due  secondary  emphasis. 


56  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

1 

Have  you  seen  an  apple  orchard  in  the  spring  ? 

In  the  spring? 
An  English  apple  orchard  in  the  spring? 
When  the  spreading  trees  are  hoary 
With  their  wealth  of  promised  glory, 
And  the  mavis  pipes  his  story 
In  the  spring ! 

2 

Have  you  plucked  the  apple  blossoms  in  the  spring  ? 

In  the  spring? 
And  caught  their  subtle  odors  in  the  spring? 
Pink  buds  bursting  at  the  light, 
Crumpled  petals  baby-white, 
Just  to  touch  them  a  delight ! 
In  the  spring ! 

3 

Have  you  walked  beneath  the  blossoms  in  the  spring  ? 

In  the  spring. 
Beneath  the  apple  blossoms  in  the  spring? 
When  the  pink  cascades  were  falling, 
And  the  silver  brooklets  brawling, 
And  the  cuckoo  bird  is  calling 
In  the  spring ! 

4 

Have  you  ever  seen  a  merry  bridal  in  the  spring? 

In  the  spring? 
In  an  English  apple  country  in  the  spring? 
When  the  bride  and  maidens  wear 
Apple  blossoms  in  their  hair; 
Apple  blossoms  everywhere, 
In  the  spring ! 


ORAL  READING  57 


If  you  have  not,  then  you  know  not,  in  the  spring, 

In  the  spring, 
Half  the  color,  beauty,  wonder  of  the  spring. 
No  sight  can  I  remember. 
Half  so  precious,  half  so  tender, 
As  the  apple  blossoms  render 
In  the  spring! 

The  Day  Is  Done 

HENRY    W.    LONGFELLOW 

The  mood  of  this  poem  must  first  be  appreciated  before  adequate 
oral  interpretation  will  be  possible.  Note  that  the  first  three  stanzas 
are  description  tinged  with  "a  feeling  of  sadness  and  longing." 
Stanzas  4  to  8,  inclusive,  call  for  a  poem  to  be  read,  with  a  description 
of  the  kind  desired.  And  the  last  three  stanzas  give  the  effect  of  such 
a  poem.  At  the  places  noted,  slight  transitions  occur,  but  there  are 
no  marked  changes  or  climaxes.  The  tone  is  quiet  and  pensive 
throughout,  and  the  rendition  most  needs  a  sympathetic  quality  of 
voice,  the  tones  colored  by  the  appropriate  emotion,  so  that  you  "lend 
to  the  rhyme  of  the  poet  the  beauty  of  thy  voice." 


The  day  is  done,  and  the  darkness 
Falls  from  the  wings  of  Night, 

As  a  feather  is  wafted  downward 
From  an  eagle  in  his  flight. 


I  see  the  lights  of  the  village 

Gleam  through  the  rain  and  the  mist, 

And  a  feeling  of  sadness  comes  o  'er  me. 
That  my  soul  cannot  resist : 


58  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

3 

A  feeling  of  sadness  and  longing, 

That  is  not  akin  to  pain, 
And  resembles  sorrow  only 

As  the  mist  resembles  the  rain. 

4 
Come,  read  to  me  some  poem, 

Some  simple  and  heartfelt  lay. 
That  shall  soothe  this  restless  feeling, 

And  banish  the  thoughts  of  day. 

5 

Not  from  the  grand  old  masters, 
Not  from  the  bards  sublime, 

Whose  distant  footsteps  echo 
Through  the  corridors  of  Time, 

6 

For,  like  strains  of  martial  music. 
Their  mighty  thoughts  suggest 

Life's  endless  toil  and  endeavor, — 
And  tonight  I  long  for  rest. 

7 
Eead  from  some  humbler  poet, 

Whose  songs  gushed  from  his  heart, 
As  showers  from  the  clouds  of  summer, 

Or  tears  from  the  eyelids  start. 

8 

Who  through  long  days  of  labor. 
And  nights  devoid  of  ease. 

Still  heard  in  his  soul  the  music 
Of  wonderful  melodies. 


ORAL  EEADING  59 

9 

Such  songs  have  power  to  quiet 

The  restless  pulse  of  care, 
And  come  like  the  benediction 

That  follows  after  prayer. 

10 

Then  read  from  the  treasured  volume 

The  poem  of  thy  choice, 
And  lend  to  the  rhyme  of  the  poet 

The  beauty  of  thy  voice. 

11 

And  the  night  s|iall  be  filled  with  music, 
And  the  cares  that  infest  the  day 

Shall  fold  their  tents,  like  the  Arabs, 
And  as  silently  steal  away. 

Kecessional 

RUDYAKD  KIPLING 

The  occasion  of  this  poem  was  the  celebration  in  England  of  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  Queen  Victoria 's  reign,  known  as  the  *  *  Queen 's 
Jubilee. ' '  Representatives  from  all  parts  of  the  British  Empire  as- 
sembled at  London  in  1897  to  do  honor  to  the  occasion.  David  Starr 
Jordan  calls  this  poem  "the  noblest  hymn  of  the  century."  As  a 
general  rule — exceptions  being  found  in  stanzas  2  and  3 — the  rising 
inflection  should  be  maintained  in  each  stanza  until  the  prayer,  or 
direct  invocation,  is  reached  in  the  last  two  lines.  The  falling  inflection 
should  be  used  on  "yet"  (for  the  purpose  of  emphasis),  also  on 
' '  forget ' '  in  each  instance.  Try  the  effect  of  placing  very  strong 
emphasis  on  the  first  ' '  forget, ' '  then  make  the  clause  that  follows 
an  echo  of  the  first,  with  less  pronounced  emphasis  on  any  one 
word.  Note  that  special  emphasis  is  required  on  '  *  Thee, ' '  in  stanzas 
4  and  5.  The  "reeking  tube  and  iron  shard"  (line  2,  stanza  5)  refer 
to  cannon  and  battleships,  the  latter  being  much  in  evidence  upon  the 
occasion  which  inspired  this  poem. 


60  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

1 

God  of  our  fathers,  known  of  old — 
Lord  of  our  far-flung  battle-line — 

Beneath  Whose  awful  Hand  we  hold 
Dominion  over  palm  and  pine — 

Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 

Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget ! 


The  tumult  and  the  shouting  dies — 
The  captains  and  the  kings  depart- 
Still  stands  Thine  ancient  Sacrifice, 
An  humble  and  a  contrite  heart. 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 
Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget! 


Far-called  our  navies  melt  away — 
On  dune  and  headland  sinks  the  fire- 

Lo,  all  our  pomp  of  yesterday 
Is  one  with  Nineveh  and  Tyre ! 

Judge  of  the  Nations,  spare  us  yet, 

Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget ! 


If,  drunk  with  sight  of  power,  we  loose 

Wild  tongues  that  have  not  Thee  in  awe- 
Such  boasting  as  the  Gentiles  use, 

Or  lesser  breeds  without  the  Law — 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 
Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget ! 


ORAL  READING  61 

5 

For  heathen  heart  that  puts  her  trust 

In  reeking  tube  and  iron  shard 
All  valiant  dust  that  builds  on  dust, 

And  guarding  calls  not  Thee  to  guard — 
For  frantic  boast  and  foolish  word, 
Thy  mercy  on  Thy  People,  Lord ! 

Hymn  of  Freedom 

MARY  PERRY   KING 

This  hymn  was  inspired  by  the  "World  War,  and  is  used  by  kind 
permission  of  the  author.  Special  care  must  needs  be  excercised  to 
avoid  reading  this  poem  in  a  "  sing-song. ' '  Note  that  it  sometimes 
takes  two  or  three  lines  to  complete  an  idea  or  thought. 

Unfurl  the  flag  of  Freedom, 

Fling  far  the  bugle  blast! 
There  comes  a  sound  of  marching 

From  out  the  mighty  past. 
Let  every  peak  and  valley 

Take  up  the  valiant  cry: 
Where,  beautiful  as  morning. 

Our  banner  cuts  the  sky. 

Free-bom  to  peace  and  justice, 

We  stand  to  guard  and  save 
The  liberty  of  manhood, 

The  faith  our  fathers  gave. 
Then  soar  aloft.  Old  Glory, 

And  tell  the  waiting  breeze 
No  law  but  Right  and  Mercy 

Shall  rule  the  Seven  Seas. 


62  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

No  hate  is  in  our  anger, 

No  vengeance  in  our  wrath ; 
We  hold  the  line  of  freedom 

Across  the  tyrant's  path. 
Where'er  oppression  vaunteth 

We  loose  the  sword  once  more, 
To  stay  the  feet  of  conquest, 

And  pray  an  end  of  war. 


CHAPTER  II 

DECLAMATION 

LESSON  9.5 

The  Nature  and  Value  of  Effective  Declamation 

Declamation  is  memorized  reading.  It  constitutes 
the  second  step  in  oral  English,  and  the  first  step  in 
the  training  of  the  speaker  as  distinguished  from, 
the  reader.  But,  since  it  is  memorized  reading,  all 
the  elements  of  effective  reading  considered  in  Chap- 
ter I  must  needs  be  constantly  employed. 

What  is  a  Declamationf — In  modern  usage  a  decla- 
mation signifies  a  selection,  be  it  prose  or  poetry,  that 
is  prevailingly  serious  in  tone,  the  thought  and  words 
of  which  are  assimilated  and  adopted  by  a  speaker 
as  his  own,  and  memorized  and  delivered  for  the  pur- 
pose of  convincing  or  persuading  an  audience  of  cer- 
tain ideas  or  truths.  From  this  viewpoint  practice 
in  declaiming  aims  directly  to  train  the  boys  and 
girls  in  our  schools  for  citizenship  —  in  the  kind  of 
speaking  the  American  citizen  will  be  called  upon 
to  employ.  I  have  said  that  the  purpose  of  a  good 
declamation  must  be  to  convince  or  persuade  the 
hearer — to  convey  a  real  message;  and  whether  or 
not  this  definition  conforms  with  universal  usage,  it 

63 


64  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

is  the  sense  in  which  the  term  is  used  in  this  book. 
Selections  that  are  chosen  for  purposes  of  mere 
entertainment,  "funny"  pieces,  dramatic  readings, 
dialogue,  impersonations,  etc.,  are  not  considered 
declamations.  We  are  not  now  concerned  with  the 
training  of  the  mere  entertainer,  the  dramatic  reader, 
or  the  actor,  but  only  with  the  public  speaker. 

Value  of  declamation. — Practice  in  declaiming  has 
the  very  obvious  advantage  of  furnishing  the  begin- 
ner in  the  art  of  public  speaking  the  words  for  his 
message  to  an  audience,  leaving  him  free  to  devote 
his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  skill  in  delivery. 
And,  too,  under  the  guidance  of  a  teacher,  he  can 
repeat  parts  of  the  selection,  when  desirable,  for 
review  and  improvement  in  presentation.  But  while 
declamation  may  be  made  extremely  valuable  for 
foundation  w^ork  in  delivery,  it  may  be  of  much  or  of 
little  value,  depending  upon  the  observance  of  the 
directions  that  follow. 

Choose  a  declamation  that  appeals  to  you. — If  you 
are  to  reproduce  well  the  thoughts  and  feelings 
embodied  in  an  author's  words,  your  own  thoughts 
and  feelings  must  respond  sympathetically.  Your 
teacher  cannot,  therefore,  select  for  you,  for  in  the 
final  decision  the  declamation  must  be  one  that  you 
like. 

Choose  a  declamation  that  you  can  handle. — A 
selection  may  appeal  to  you,  and  yet  not  be  adapted 
to  your  age  or  sex.    It  may  be  so  deep  or  abstruse 


DECLAMATION  65 

that  it  is  beyond  your  grasp.  Again,  a  given  selec- 
tion, sncli  as  an  address  to  a  jury,  may  be  good  for  a 
boy  but  not.  for  a  girl.  You  should  try  to  select 
something  that  comes  within  the  range  of  your  own 
possible  experience.  Always  bear  in  mind  that  the 
selection  is  to  be  assimilated  and  delivered  as  your 
own,  and  if  it  is  beyond  your  age  and  experience  you 
can  hardly  interpret  it  to  others. 

Choose  a  selection  that  is  adapted  to  the  occasion. — 
That  is,  choose  with  reference  to  the  occasion  of  its 
delivery  by  you.  Is  the  selection  now  of  vital  interest 
to  your  audience!  Many  speeches  that  were  deliv- 
ered a  long  while  since  have  what  we  call  a '  'universal 
appeal";  their  content  is  just  as  vital  and  interesting 
to  present-day  audiences  as  to  those  of  past  times. 
This  is  not  true,  however,  of  many  great  utterances 
which  hit  the  mark  at  the  time  of  delivery,  but  which 
today  have  only  an  historical  interest ;  for  example, 
Mr.  Bryan's  "Cross  of  Gold"  speech,  which  won 
him  the  nomination  for  the  presidency  in  1896.  Few- 
people  nowadays  would  be  interested  in  listening  to 
a  discussion  of  Free  Silver  versus  the  Gold  Standard. 
Further,  a  declamation  should  be  not  only  timely  and 
of  present  interest,  but  it  should  be  easily  separable 
from  the  occasion  of  its  first  delivery.  This  would 
rule  out  "Spartacus  to  the  Gladiators,"  for  example. 
Again,  avoid  selections  dealing  with  hair-raising, 
blood-curdling,  melodramatic  situations  of  The-Mid- 
night-Ride-of-Jennie-McNeal  type  that  are  on  the 


(56  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

border  line  between  dramatic  reading  and  declama- 
tion proper.  Choose  rather  selections  that  portray 
the  more  normal  emotions  of  the  average  individual 
and  that  reveal  a  refined  taste  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker.  People  generally  nowadays  do  not  care  for 
selections  that  suggest  in  any  degree  the  taste  or 
style  of  the  traditional  ''elocutionist." 

Study  your  selection  in  order  to  assimilate  its 
thought  and  spirit. — All  that  was  said  in  Part  I  rela- 
tive to  the  analysis  of  a  selection  for  oral  reading 
applies  also  to  the  study  of  a  declamation :  get  the 
thought  and  give  the  thought.  The  delivery  of  a 
declamation  is  not  nearly  as  easy  a  task  as  it  may 
appear,  unless  one  simply  repeats  the  words  of  a 
selection  with  little  or  no  thought  of  their  full  mean- 
ing. In  an  article^  on  "Effective  Declamation" 
Professor  HoUister  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
says: 

Declamation  is  an  art.  It  is  an  interpretative  art.  Like 
acting  and  music  and  the  oral  interpretation  of  poetry  it  is 
re-creative.  It  seeks  to  reproduce  in  the  speaker  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  thoughts  and  feehngs  of  another  speaker  in 
order  that  he  may  express  them  to  others.  Its  aim  is  not  a 
phonographic  reproduction  of  words,  but  a  revitahzation 
of  the  whole  experience  which  once  struggled  for  expression 
in  another. 

Memorize  your  selection  thoroughly. — By  memo- 
rizing is  meant  not  the  words  merely,  but  more  espe- 


1 1'ublic  Speaking  Eeview,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  3,  p.  15. 


DECLAMATION  67 

daily  the  ideas  expressed  by  the  words.  Memorizing 
is  not  equally  easy  for  all  persons,  but  the  task  will 
become  easier  and  less  irksome  if  one  adopts  a  proper 
method,  and,  strangely  enough,  the  best  method  is 
not  used  by  even  mature  students  until  they  are 
taught  it.  The  usual  procedure  is  the  nibble-and- 
repeat  method,  sentence  by  sentence,  or  even  word  by 
word.  This  means  not  only  a  fearful  waste  of  time, 
but  a  parrot-like  repetition  of  words  results  in  a 
''phonograph"  delivery,  because  the  thought  and 
feeling  of  the  selection  are  not  kept  constantly  in 
mind  during  the  memorizing  process. 

Psychology  teaches  us  that  the  three  important 
laws  of  memory  are :  association,  concentration,  and 
repetition.  That  is,  we  can  memorize  ideas  most 
easily  when  we  associate  them,  or  link  them  together ; 
when  our  minds  are  intense,  or  concentrated;  and 
when  the  ideas  to  be  memorized  are  often  repeated. 
Therefore,  the  best  method  of  preparing  a  selection 
for  memoriter  delivery  is : 

1.  Read  the  selection  in  its  entirety  two  or  three 
times,  at  least,  and  until  you  grasp  its  thought  and 
feeling  as  a  whole  and  the  relation  of  the  larger 
thought-groups  to  each  other. 

2.  Divide  the  thought  into  a  few  large  groups — 
rarely  ever  smaller  than  a  paragraph  or  stanza — and 
commit  to  memory  the  ideas  within  each  group. 
Memorize  by  ideas  and  groups,  and  not  by  words, 
lines,  and  sentences.    Supply  your  own  words  when 


68  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

those  of  the  author  are  not  recalled.  This  requires 
concentration  and  avoids  the  "wool-gathering"  that 
often  results  from  mere  word-memorizing.  After  the 
ideas  are  committed,  the  words  will  come  rapidly. 
Eefer  to  the  selection  for  the  words  to  bridge  over 
the  gaps,  but  always  keep  the  ideas  uppermost  in 
your  mind.  If  you  follow  this  method,  you  will  not 
fail  in  the  delivery,  as  so  often  happens,  because  you 
happen  to  forget  a  word! 

3.  After  the  selection  has  been  memorized  in  the 
way  above  described,  there  must  be  much  repetition, 
for  it  is  only  through  constant  repetition  that  the 
words  finally  become  yours.  But  always  keep  in 
mind  that  it  is  the  ideas,  and  not  the  mere  words, 
which  you  are  to  impress  first  upon  your  own  mind, 
and  finally  upon  the  minds  of  your  hearers.  The 
words,  however,  are  the  medium  for  expressing  the 
ideas,  and  in  order  to  get  the  exact  words  of 
the  author  there  is  nothing  more  important  than 
repetition. 

Questions  for  Review  and  Discussion 

1.  What  is  a  declamation  ?  Do  you  agree  with  the  defini- 
tion given  above  ? 

2.  Give  examples  of  selections  you  have  heard  delivered 
from  memory  that  were  declamations,  or  dramatic  readings, 
or  humorous  recitations  given  for  mere  entertainment. 
Which  did  you  enjoy  most?  Which  would  best  train  a 
speaker  for  selling  goods,  or  raising  money  for  disabled 


DECLAMATION  69 

soldiers,  or  influencing  an  audience  to  help  advance  a  worthy- 
cause  ? 

3.  Would  a  selection  on  the  subject  of  The  Single  Tax 
or  Webster's  Reply  to  Hayne  be  suitable  for  a  pupil  in  the 
sixth  or  seventh  grade  ?    Why  1 

4.  Would  an  extract  from  Demosthenes'  classic  oration, 
"On  the  Crown,"  or  Cicero's  "Against  Cataline,"  or  Pat- 
rick Henry's  "Liberty  or  Death"  be  a  good  declamation? 
Why? 

5.  Discuss  this  statement:  "Effective  declamation  is  not 
a  phonographic  reproduction  of  words." 

6.  Discuss  memorizing.  What  method  have  you  used? 
Have  you  tried  the  method  above  described?  If  so,  with 
what  success  ?  Are  you  able  to  keep  the  thought  of  a  selec- 
tion all  the  time  in  mind  while  you  are  memorizing  the 
words  and  its  expression?  If  not,  you  may  be  sure  that 
your  method  will  not  result  in  the  most  effective  delivery. 


LESSON  26 

Fundamental  Principles  of  Delivery 

You  have  a  declamation  well  memorized,  let  us  say, 
and  ready  for  delivery  to  an  audience.  What  are 
some  of  the  principles  that  must  govern  in  its  deliv- 
ery? To  discuss  this  question  fully  might  easily  fill 
a  volume,  but  it  seems  proper  to  consider  at  this 
point  some  fundamental  principles  of  delivery  that 
apply  equally  as  well  to  the  other  forms  of  public 
speaking  that  are  treated  in  subsequent  parts  of  this 
book. 

Effective   speaking   requires   clear  and  vigorous 


70  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

thinking. — It  has  been  said  that  public  speaking  con- 
sists in  thinking  before  an  audience.  Any  speech,  to 
be  worth  while,  must  contain  a  real  message.  To 
convey  this  message  there  must  be  an  orderly  pre- 
sentation of  the  thought,  and  the  thought  must  be 
clear  and  vivid  in  the  speaker's  mind  at  the  moment 
of  its  utterance.  Indeed,  the  degree  of  clearness  and 
intensity  with  which  one  is  thinking  while  speaking 
marks  the  difference  between  a  tame  and  lifeless 
speaker  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  forcible  and  interest- 
ing one  on  the  other.  Effective  public  speaking  is 
simply  the  science  and  art  of  thinking  aloud. 

Effective  speaking  must  he  natural,  and  not  imi- 
tative.— This  principle  most  people  will  readily 
approve  in  theory,  but  the  problem  is,  to  make  per- 
formance tally  with  theory.  If  the  speaker  concen- 
trates his  thought  on  what  he  has  to  say  in  an  earnest 
effort  to  impress  his  message  upon  the  minds  of  his 
hearers,  this  will  aid  mightily  in  producing  a  natural 
style  of  delivery.  The  trouble  is,  that  the  amateur, 
sometimes  by  reason  of  nervousness,  sometimes 
because  he  has  some  fanciful  and  false  notions  about 
*' oratory,"  is  wont  in  speaking  to  depart  from  his 
really  natural  manner.  What  do  we  mean  by  ^'nat- 
ural ' '  ?  Plainly,  one 's  usual  way  of  talking.  In  other 
words,  the  same  manner  of  speaking  that  you  would 
use  in  telling  something  to  a  friend,  in  making  him 
accept  your  view  of  a  given  question,  or  in  getting 
Mm  to  do  something  that  you  think  he  ought  to  do — 


DECLAMATION  71 

the  way  that  you  would  talk  to  an  individual  in  earn- 
est conversation  is  the  very  way  you  should  talk  to 
a  collection  of  individuals  that  make  up  your  audi- 
ence. The  best  public  speaking  is  simply  enlarged 
and  heightened  conversation.  It  is  said  of  the  great 
abolition  orator,  Wendell  Phillips,  that  his  manner 
of  speaking  was  '  *  as  if  he  simply  repeated,  in  a  little 
louder  tone,  what  he  had  just  been  saying  to  some 
familiar  friend  at  his  elbow." 

It  is  so  easy  for  the  young  speak(,'r  to  fall  into  a 
*' speaking  tone,"  variously  characterized  as  the 
*' ministerial"  or  ''oratorical"  or  ''elocutionary," 
or  to  imitate  some  speaker  whose  delivery  he  par- 
ticularly admires.  But  any  one  is  in  a  bad  way  when 
he  tries  to  speak  like  Demosthenes,  or  Webster,  or 
Bryan,  or  like  anyone  other  than  himself.  Aim  for 
the  best  individual  expression  of  yourself.  And  the 
best  teacher  of  expression  is  not  the  one  who  tries 
to  train  students  after  a  given  "method"  or  "school 
of  expression,"  so  that  all  the  pupils  speak  alike, 
but  the  best  teacher  is  one  who  seeks  to  develop  the 
best  individual  expression  of  each  student.  Public 
contests  in  declamation  are  too  frequently  only  con- 
tests among  expression  teachers;  the  individuality 
of  the  speakers  is  laboriously  drilled  out  of  them  in 
order  that  they  may  imitate  the  delivery  of  their 
respective  teachers.  Such  methods  are  not  only 
harmful,  but  criminal,  for  the  students  who  come 
under  such  baneful  influences  are  crippled  for  life. 


72  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

It  is  desirable,  though  not  absolutely  necessary,  for 
a  teacher  to  have  had  some  training  in  the  technique 
of  expression,  but  let  the  student  beware  of  an 
instructor  who  has  ''technique"  and  nothing  else. 
Common  sense  and  an  appreciation  of  sincere  and 
natural  expression  are  the  prime  requisites  for  a 
teacher ;  and,  to  develop  these  qualities  in  a  pupil,  a 
frequent  direction  must  be,  ' '  Say  this  to  me  as  you 
would  talk  to  me  alone."  True,  this  is  not  the  whole 
problem  of  learning  to  speak  to  an  audience,  but  it  is 
a  start  in  the  right  direction. 

The  natural,  the  conversational  style  that  I  am  urg- 
ing must  be,  as  was  said  above,  "enlarged  and  height- 
ened conversation."  The  same  emphasis,  inflection, 
and  tones  must  be  used  as  in  ordinary  conversation, 
but  the  voice  must  be  sent  out  to  the  audience,  and 
greater  care  must  be  exercised  than  in  ordinary  con- 
versation in  employing  a  clear-cut  enunciation,  so 
that  the  words  will  not  become  blurred  when  they 
reach  the  ears  of  those  some  distance  from  the 
speaker.  Fundamentally,  however,  the  most  effective 
public  speaking  is  direct,  strong  talk. 

Effective  speaking  7nust  he  purposeful  and  direct. 
— Any  speech  that  is  worth  while  must  have  a  pur- 
pose behind  it.  Unless  a  speaker  has  a  real  mes- 
sage— something,  if  you  please,  that  he  very  much 
desires  to  convey — he  has  no  right  to  inflict  himself 
upon  an  audience.  Now,  when  one  is  speaking  with 
a  purpose,  be  it  simply  to  impart  knowledge  or  con- 


DECLAMATION  73 

vey  information,  or  to  convince  his  hearers  of  the 
truth  or  falsity  of  a  given  proposition,  or  to  incite 
them  to  a  certain  line  of  conduct  or  action,  such 
purpose  can  best  be  effected  by  a  simple,  straight- 
forward, and  direct  style  of  delivery,  as  of  one  indi- 
vidual talking  to  another.  It  follows  that  the  speaker, 
whether  delivering  a  declamation  or  an  original 
address,  must  get  and  hold  the  right  mental  attitude 
toward  his  audience.  This  means  that  you  must  not 
think  of  speaking  in  monologue  or  to  an  imaginary 
or  indefinite  group  of  hearers,  but  very  directly  to 
the  people  before  you.  The  speaker's  art  is  not  that 
of  the  actor ;  you  are  to  speak  to,  not  simply  before, 
your  audience.  Nor  is  the  speaker's  art  that  of  the 
dancer,  but  rather  that  of  the  w^restler;  there  must 
be  a  personal  grapple  with  your  audience.  Study 
to  ''Let  your  mind  grapple  directly  with  the  mind 
of  every  individual  among  your  hearers." 

Effective  speaking  requires  unfeigned  and  sus- 
tained earnestness. — This  is,  after  all,  the  crux  of  the 
whole  matter.  Downright  earnestness  is  the  touch- 
stone of  success  in  public  speaking,  as  in  other  things 
in  life.  But  it  is  not  sufficient  that  the  speaker  be 
in  earnest;  he  must  communicate  his  earnestness  to 
his  hearers.  This  is  effected  through  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  your  subject,  a  sincere  faith  in  your 
message,  and  a  determination  to  implant  in  others 
that  knowledge  and  that  faith.  The  first  two  requi- 
sites have  previously  been  discussed.     Let  us  con- 


74  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

sider  for  a  moment  the  matter  of  "determination," 
and  also  one  or  two  other  topics  related  to  the  gen- 
eral subject  of  earnestness. 

Determination  implies  the  use  of  the  will.  Of 
course,  the  ideal  earnestness  comes  from  the  speak- 
er's interest  in  his  subject  and  self-abandonment  to 
the  subject ;  but  there  is  such  a  thing  as  willing  earn- 
estness into  the  speech,  of  compelling  attention  from 
indifferent  listeners.  Therefore,  do  not  depend  upon 
the  inspiration  of  the  occasion,  but  master  the  occa- 
sion through  earnestness.  Realize  your  opportunity, 
your  jjower  to  choose  wdiat  shall  have  expression. 
Make  your  choice.  Eealize  that  your  will  can  com- 
mand expression  for  what  you  think  and  feel,  and 
for  nothing  else.  Shall  a  listless,  feeble  expression 
at  your  lips  belie  the  honest  impulses  of  your  heart, 
which  you  are  not  able  to  force  into  expression? 
Conquer  such  w^eakness  by  will  power.  Master  the 
situation;  this  is  the  condition  of  success  in  every 
endeavor,  and  public  speaking  is  no  exception. 

Again,  it  may  be  asked,  and  often  is  asked  by  a 
student  during  the  period  of  training,  "How  can  I 
think  of  so  many  things  at  once?  How  can  I  think 
about  my  carriage  or  voice,  and  at  the  same  time 
think  of  the  ideas  and  respond  to  the  emotions  in  my 
speech — to  be  really  in  earnest?" 

The  problem  is  a  real  one,  but  remember  that  prac- 
tice in  technique  should  lead  in  due  time  to  the  forma- 
tion of  new  habits.     We  must  distinguish  between 


DECLAMATION  75 

prelbninaiy  practice  and  public  performance.  But 
while  no  speaker  should  be  consciously  gi\dng  atten- 
tion to  vocal  gymnastics  while  speaking  to  an  audi- 
ence, still  the  trained  speaker  will  have  a  subcon- 
sciousness, if  you  please,  as  to  whether  or  not  his 
thought  is  finding  effective  expression.  Hence  the 
more  or  less  common  saying, ' '  Forget  about  yourself 
and  think  only  of  your  subject,"  needs  qualifying. 
We  have  all  heard  speakers  whom  we  wished  a  kind 
Providence  would  remind  of  themselves.  There 
is  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  being  self- 
conscious  and  conscious  of  self;  and  to  know  what 
you  are  about  is  not  incompatible  with  the  most  sin- 
cere earnestness.  Indeed,  it  is  earnestness  in  its 
highest  sense,  for  it  is  the  method  of  a  rational  being. 
Emerson  refers  to  the  proper  coordination  of  mind, 
emotions  and  will  when  he  says, ' '  The  truly  eloquent 
[earnest]  man  is  a  sane  man  with  power  to  communi- 
cate his  sanity. ' ' 

Finally,  earnestness  must  be  genuine.  It  cannot 
be  feigned,  for  an  audience  soon  distinguishes  the 
true  coin  from  the  counterfeit.  "What  you  are," 
says  Emerson,  ''speaks  so  loud  that  I  cannot  hear 
w^hat  you  say There  can  be  no  true  elo- 
quence unless  there  is  a  man  behind  the  speech." 
True  eloquence  springs  from  the  moral  nature. 
Hence  Christ,  who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  repre- 
sents the  ideal  in  oratory,  as  He  does  in  conduct. 
The  history  of  oratory  shows  that  it  has  flourished  at 


76  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

those  times  when  great  moral  questions  were  at 
stake — injustice  to  be  resented,  a  reform  to  be  insti- 
tuted— and  that  its  exponents  were  men  terribly  in 
earnest;  that  '4ts  great  masters,"  to  quote  Emerson 
again,  "whilst  they  valued  every  help  to  its  attain- 
ment, and  thought  no  pains  too  great  which  contrib- 
uted in  any  manner  to  further  it,  ...  .  yet 
never  permitted  any  talent — neither  voice,  rhythm, 
poetic  power,  sarcasm — to  appear  for  show ;  but  were 
grave  men,  who  preferred  their  integrity  to  their 
talent,  and  esteemed  that  object  for  which  they  toiled, 
whether  the  prosperity  of  their  country,  or  the  laws, 
or  a  reformation,  or  liberty  of  speech,  or  of  the  press, 
or  letters,  or  morals,  as  above  the  whole  world,  and 
themselves  also." 

Effective  'public  speaking  requires  systematic  and 
continuous  practice. — Success  in  public  speaking 
comes  from  everlastingly  keeping  at  it.  Students 
who  in  their  school  course  first  give  attention  to  the 
manner  of  their  speech  bring  to  the  study  certain 
habits.  These  habits  may  be  good  or  bad.  The  good 
habits  need  developing  and  strengthening;  the  bad 
represent  sundry  faults,  many  needing  to  be  eradi- 
cated and  supplanted,  all  capable  of  improvement. 
Now,  these  bad  habits  are  not ' '  natural ' '  in  the  sense 
that  they  are  true  exponents  of  nature.  They  are, 
rather,  a  cultivated  unnaturalness.  We  must,  there- 
fore, be  careful  not  to  confound  habit  with  nature, 
peculiarity  with  individuality.    Moreover,  the  act  of 


DECLAMATION  77 

facing  an  audience  usually  results  in  a  wide  departure 
from  one 's  natural  manner  of  speaking ;  the  unprac- 
ticed  speaker  not  infrequently  becomes  afflicted  with 
that  distressing  malady  known  as  "stage  fright." 
Charlie  Chaplin  and  Will  S.  Hart  could  face  the 
motion-picture  camera  as  masters  of  their  art,  but 
they  quailed  and  failed,  according  to  newspaper 
reports,  in  facing  audiences  as  Liberty-Loan  cam- 
paign speakers.  An  amusing  feature  of  this  matter 
is,  that  young  speakers  are  likely  to  think  that  they 
are  the  only  ones  who  become  seriously  embarrassed. 
And  right  here  is  the  lesson :  trained  speakers  learn 
to  control  their  embarrassment;  by  practice  they 
acquire  control,  if  not  always  ease,  before  an  audi- 
ence, and  this  is  the  only  known  remedy  for  stage 
fright. 

In  short,  you  must  learn  to  speak  by  speaking,  just 
as  you  learn  to  swim  by  getting  into  water  and  trying 
until  you  can  swim.  Surely  the  great  masters  of 
the  art  of  speech  did  not  attain  their  success  without 
laborious  study  and  practice.  Gladstone  said,  "All 
time  and  money  spent  in  training  the  voice  and  the 
body  is  an  investment  that  pays  a  larger  interest  than 
any  other."  It  is  said  of  the  celebrated  Irish  orator, 
called  in  his  youth  "Stuttering  Jack  Curran," 
that  "he  turned  his  shrill  and  tumbling  brogue  into 
a  flexible,  sustained  and  finely  modulated  voice;  his 
actions  became  free  and  forcible;  and  he  acquired 
perfect  readiness  in  thinking  on  this  feet."     So  do 


78  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

not  neglect  any  opportunity  to  practice,  for  public 
speaking  is  an  art,  and  it  does  not  come  by  chance. 
Drill  in  declamation  is  the  best  way  to  begin,  since 
this  Avill  naturally  lead  to  the  higher  forms  of  delivery 
wherein  you  use  your  own  words  in  extemporaneous 
speaking  and  debating.  Practice  in  your  literary 
society,  before  your  friends,  or  by  yourself.  Speak 
to  an  imaginary  audience.  Henry  Clay  used  stumps 
and  trees  to  practice  on.  Do  not  be  afraid  of  drilling 
too  much.  Students  sometimes  talk  of  getting 
' '  stale ' '  when  they  do  not  even  enunciate  clearly.  To 
form  better  habits  of  speech  is  your  object,  and  new 
habits  are  formed  only  by  conscious  attention  and 
continued  practice.  "Trifles  make  perfection,"  said 
Michael  Angelo  of  his  art,  ''and  perfection  is  no 
trifle. ' '  Then  after  faithful  practice,  when  the  occa- 
sion for  public  delivery  arrives,  put  your  technique 
in  the  background,  remembering  that  ''the  highest 
art  is  to  conceal  art."  Your  previous  practice  will 
unconsciously  repeat  itself;  and  in  the  final  eifort 
put  in  the  foreground  mental  and  moral  earnestness, 
and  send  vour  message  home  to  the  minds  and  hearts 
of  your  hearers  ' '  with  all  the  resources  of  the  living 
man."    Then  you  will  really  speak. 

Questions  for  Review  and  Discussion 

1.  Discuss  this  statement:  "Effective  public  speaking  is 
simply  the  science  and  art  of  thinking  aloud." 

2.  Give  examples  of  speakers  you  have  heard  who  had  a 
"natural"  style. 


DECLAMATION  79 

3.  Show  your  classmates  what  is  meant  by  the  statement 
that  "the  best  public  speaking  is  simply  enlarged  and 
heightened  conversation"  by  saying,  in  turn,  to  a  real  or 
imaginary  auditor  located  five,  twenty,  fifty,  one  hundred 
feet  from  you,  "Will  you  kindly  give  me  your  attention 
for  a  moment?"  At  the  same  time  show  what  is  meant, 
as  you  repeat  this  sentence,  by  speaking  directly  to  your 
hearers. 

4.  Explain  the  effect  of  earnestness  and  of  lack  of  earn- 
estness in  speakers  you  have  heard. 

5.  How  may  earnestness  in  speech  be  cultivated?  Illus- 
trate from  your  own  experience. 

6.  Explain  and  illustrate  the  relation  of  earnestness  to 
the  study  and  practice  of  technique. 

7.  How  much  and  what  kind  of  practicing  in  the  speech 
arts  have  you  done  since  you  began  studying  this  text? 

8.  Tell  the  class  some  valuable  experiences  you  have  had 
in  public  speaking. 


LESSONS  27-28 

Expression  By  Action 

Thus  far  we  have  been  treating  of  the  voice  as  a 
medium  of  expression,  but  one  also  speaks  with  tlie 
body.  If  this  were  not  so,  a  speaker  might  just  as 
well  address  his  audience  from  behind  a  screen.  In 
describin'g'-O'ConneU's  eloquence  the  poet  says  that 
"his  pure  and  eloquent  blood  spoke  in  his  cheek,  and 
so  distinctly  wrought  that  one  might  almost  say  his 
body  thought." 

Every  declaimer,  every  speaker,  must  always  re- 


80  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

member  that  lie  is  speaking  from  tlie  time  he  rises 
from  his  seat  until  he  has  again  returned  to  it.  His 
approach  to  the  audience,  his  position  before  the 
audience,  his  attitude  toward  the  audience,  his  facial 
expression,  his  gestures,  his  physical  earnestness,  all 
have  a  very  important  bearing  on  his  effectiveness  as 
a  speaker. 

Physical  Earnestness. — AVe  have  seen  the  impor- 
tance in  speech  of  mental  and  moral  earnestness. 
Now,  for  the  adequate  expression  of  such  earnest- 
ness, the  speaker  must  also  have  physical  earnestness. 
By  this  is  meant  having  the  body  awake.  It  is  the 
quality  referred  to  by  Webster  when  he  speaks  of 
**the  high  purpose,  the  firm  resolve,  the  dauntless 
spirit,  speaking  on  the  tongue,  beaming  from  the  eye, 
informing  every  feature,  and  urging  the  whole  man 
onward,  right  onward  to  his  object." 

True  physical  earnestness  is  something  more  than 
physical  energy.  Such  energy  must  be  held  in  proper 
reserve  and  directed  by  the  will.  AVhen  so  held  and 
directed,  it  becomes  physical  control ;  and  just  as  the 
highest  form  of  earnestness  is  self-control,  so  the 
highest  form  of  physical  earnestness  is  physical  con- 
trol. It  will  depend  upon  the  individual  as  to  whether 
he  needs  physical  excitation  or  repression.  To  check 
energy  is,  however,  always  easier  than  to  excite  it. 
It  is  therefore  best,  as  a  general  rule,  to  give  enthusi- 
asm vent  and  cut  loose.  ' '  Something  may  come  of 
this,  whereas  nothing  can  come  from  doing  nothing" ; 


DECLAMATION  81 

and  ''no  man,"  says  Edward  Everett  Hale,  "will 
ever  become  a  speaker  until  he  is  willing  to  make  a 
fool  of  himself  for  the  sake  of  his  subject." 

Let  us  consider  some  of  the  ways  in  which  physical 
earnestness  manifests  itself  in  the  act  of  speaking. 

1.  Approaching  the  audience. — From  the  moment 
of  rising  upon  the  platform,  or  stepping  out  before 
the  audience,  as  the  case  may  be,  the  speaker  begins 
to  express  himself  with  the  body.  Self-mastery  and 
self-poise  at  this  point  will  go  far  toward  winning 
the  audience.  In  this  position,  what  is  most  needed! 
First  and  foremost,  the  right  mental  attitude  toward 
the  audience.  The  speaker  should  realize  the  impor- 
tance of  the  occasion — for  any  occasion  is  important 
that  calls  a  number  of  persons  together  for  an  ad- 
dress. This  condition  suggests  dig-nity  in  approach. 
Secondly,  if  the  speaker  feels  the  importance  of  his 
subject,  he  will  approach  his  audience  with  a  direct, 
businesslike,  animated  carriage.  Thirdly,  common 
courtesy  will  impel  an  air  of  deference  to  the  people 
assembled  to  hear  the  message. 

With  such  a  mental  attitude  toward  the  subject 
and  the  audience,  the  speaker  should  bow  respectfully 
to  the  presiding  officer,  if  there  be  one,  and  walk 
easily  and  directly  to  the  position  from  which  he  will 
speak.  This  walk  should  be  neither  a  mincing  step 
nor  a  stride;  neither  the  Avalk  of  a  soldier  on  the 
march,  nor  the  shuffling  gait  of  the  aged  and  infirm ; 
nor  should  it  be  a  sort  of  a  catlike  tread  taken  by 


82  OKAL  ENGLISH  AXD  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

speakers  wlio  seem  to  be  trying  to  approach  the  audi- 
ence unobserved.  It  should  be  that  easy,  dignified, 
upright  walk  that  denotes  that  the  speaker  knows 
what  he  is  there  for,  and  is  not  making  any  fuss  over 
getting  to  the  proper  i^lace  for  speaking.  He  stops 
and — bows  ?  That  depends  upon  the  formality  of  the 
occasion,  or  the  amount  of  ''enthusiastic  applause" 
that  greets  him.  Nowadays  the  bow  to  the  audience 
is  often  given  only  at  the  close — a  bow  of  thanks,  on 
retiring — in  token  of  the  speaker 's  appreciation. 

Facing  the  audience  the  speaker  may  well  pause 
and  look  over  the  audience  for  a  moment,  thus  asking 
their  attention  to  what  he  has  to  say.  If  this  pause 
and  glance  is  made  with  dignity  and  poise  it  is  half 
of  the  battle  at  this  point.  If  control  is  difficult,  a 
deep  breath  before  beginning  to  speak  will  help. 
There  should  be  an  attitude  of  physical  ease  and  com- 
posure. An  erect  position,  with  the  body  easily 
poised,  is  the  natural  position  in  the  ''repose"  of  the 
public  speaker.  It  signifies  earnestness,  and  the 
serenity  of  conscious  power.  The  opening  remarks 
should  be  given  deliberately,  easily,  and  clearly,  and 
should  be  directed  first  to  one  part  of  the  audience 
and  then  to  another. 

This  much,  together  with  some  simple  directions 
that  follow  later,  may  properly  be  said  to  the  begin- 
ner ;  but  beware  of  directions  for  ' '  toeing  a  line ' '  and 
measuring  the  proper  ''angle  between  the  feet,"  for 
the  speaker's  carriage  cannot  be  assumed  by  rule. 


DECLAMATION  83 

It  results  from  the  mental  attitude  and  one's  all- 
round  physical  training. 

2.  Carriage. — The  normal,  fair-weather  attitude 
that  characterizes  an  easy  and  graceful  carriage  has 
been  described  above.  For  the  most  part  the  body  is 
left  in  easy  poise,  so  the  weight  may  be  easily  shifted 
from  one  foot  to  the  other.  As  has  been  said,  much 
depends  upon  the  mind.  A  feeling  of  ease  should  be 
cultivated  and  the  carriage  will  adjust  itself  to  this 
feeling.  This  adjustment  to  a  feeling  of  easy  poise 
will  keep  one  from  bracing,  or  standing  rigid  as 
though  the  feet  were  glued  to  the  floor  and  the  knees 
had  no  joints  in  them,  or  swaying  the  body  constantly 
from  one  foot  to  the  other,  or  sagging  ^ovm  on  one 
hip. 

Along  with  the  acquirement  of  this  easy  poise,  a 
habit  of  letting  the  arms  and  hands  hang  easily  at 
your  side  should  be  formed.  This  may  seem  awk- 
ward at  first.  One  is  likely  to  be  painfully  conscious 
of  these  appendages,  and  the  first  impulse  is  to  get 
them  out  of  the  way.  But  by  compelling  one's  self 
to  let  the  arms  and  hands  go,  an  unconsciousness  of 
them  will  in  time  come  that  will  never  come  from  try- 
ing to  do  something  else  with  them.  Folding  the 
hands  or  arms  in  front  or  behind,  fumbling  the  watch 
chain  or  adjusting  the  cuif  s  should  be  avoided.  Above 
all,  do  not  thrust  the  hands  into  the  pockets — it  is  not 
dignified. 

The  importance  of  a  speaker's  bearing  cannot  be 


84  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

over-estimated.  We  know  the  importance  in  conver- 
sation of  a  pleasing  bearing,  of  an  animated  and 
mobile  facial  expression.  It  is  quite  as  important  in 
the  enlarged  and  heightened  conversation  of  public 
speech.  How  an  arrogant,  conceited  bearing  repels, 
and  a  sjinpathetic,  modest,  deferential  bearing  at- 
tracts !  How  an  uncertain  bearing  disturbs,  and  how 
a  confident  bearing  imparts  ease  to  the  audience! 
Now,  here  again  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  bear- 
ing, as  a  phase  of  physical  expression,  is — or  should 
be — the  outward  manifestation  of  an  inward  state. 
What  should  be  the  proper  mental  attitude  that  is 
indicated  by  one's  bearing? 

Since  public  speaking  has  for  its  primary  purpose 
the  communication  of  thought,  the  speaker  should 
consciously  assume  and  maintain  the  co7nmunicative 
attitude.  Such  a  mental  attitude  will  result  in  the 
physical  attitude  of  directness.  Face  the  audience 
squarely.  Do  not  speak  over  one  shoulder.  Do  not 
look  at  the  floor,  or  at  the  ceiling,  or  out  of  the  win- 
dow, or  anywhere  but  at  the  audience.  Such  habits, 
trying  in  conversation,  are  exasperating  in  public 
speaking.  The  business  of  the  speaker  is  with  the 
audience,  and  it  is  his  business  to  make  them  realize 
this  fact.  Moreover,  to  look  directly  at  the  audience 
is  one  of  the  best  cures  for  stage-fright,  for  it  takes 
the  speaker's  attention  from  himself  and  puts  it 
where  it  should  be — on  getting  the  thought  from  his 
own  mind  into  the  minds  of  his  hearers.    In  doing 


DECLAMATION  85 

this  the  eyes  are  constantly  saying  to  the  hearers, 
"I  am  speaking  to  you,  and  you,  and  you,''  Now, 
this  does  not  mean  staring  at  any  individual  auditor, 
but  it  means  keeping  the  audience  as  a  whole 
within  the  range  of  vision.  In  this  connection,  there 
should  be  no  partiality  for  one  group  of  hearers  to 
the  exclusion  of  others.  The  speaker  should  keep  the 
whole  audience  in  mind  and  by  easy,  deliberate  turn- 
ing distribute  attention  somewhat  uniformly/ 

Rarely  should  the  speaker's  eyes  leave  the  audi- 
ence. The  actor  tjilks  with  others  on  the  stage,  the 
public  speaker  carries  on  a  one-sided  dialogue  with 
the  audience  only.  The  actor  may  occasionally  even 
turn  his  back  to  the  audience;  the  public  speaker, 
never.  True,  he  may  at  times,  in  picturing  a  scene  or 
describing  an  object,  turn  the  eyes  momentarily  from 
the  audience,  but  only  momentarily.  In  such  a  case 
the  eyes  play  back  and  forth  from  the  picture  or 
object  to  the  audience,  and  are  all  the  time  saying, 
Do  you  see  it?  The  impersonation  of  the  actor  or 
dramatic  reader  is  rarely  to  be  employed  by  the 
public  speaker.  To  turn  away  at  any  length  from  the 
audience  indicates  a  wrong  mental  attitude  and  is  apt 
to  give  the  impression  of  artificiality.  The  speaker 
who  has  and  maintains  the  communicative  attitude 
will  speak  to,  not  before,  his  audience.    He  will  objec- 

lOf  Lloyd  George,  the  British  Prime  Minister,  an  observer  says: 
"He  invariably  establishes  friendly  relations  with  his  hearers,  and 
he  has  the  extraordinary  ability  to  make  every  man  and  woman  in 
the  audience  believe  that  he  is  getting  a  direct  and  personal  message. ' ' 


86  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

tify  his  thought,  not  soliloquize.  He  will  center  his 
attention  on  his  audience,  not  on  himself.  Further, 
such  an  attitude  will  be  characterized  by  good  will 
toward  his  audience.  The  speaker  takes  the  audience 
into  his  confidence.  This  in  turn  inspires  confidence 
on  the  part  of  the  audience,  and  a  mutual  sympathy  is 
established.  This  will  result  in  a  bearing  deferential 
though  dignified,  confiding  though  confident.  Thus 
the  speaker's  bearing  becomes  an  important  aspect  of 
physical  earnestness. 

This  communicative  attitude  b^ing  taken,  this  sym- 
pathetic relation  between  speaker  and  audience  being 
established,  nothing  should  destroy  or  mar  it.  Herein 
the  instruction  must  be  largely  negative.  No  one  can 
or  should,  in  the  act  of  speaking,  be  giving  his  chief 
attention  to  this  or  that  peccadillo  regarding  his  car- 
riage or  bearing,  but  certain  common  bad  habits 
should  receive  attention  and  be  willed  out  of  one's 
speaking.  The  point  is,  every  movement  that  a 
speaker  makes  means — or  should  mean — something. 
Hence  avoid  indulging  in  movements  w^hich  are 
purely  habit  and  which  mean  nothing.  One  will  nat- 
urally move  the  body  slightly,  as  we  have  seen,  as  he 
turns  from  one  portion  of  the  audience  to  another. 
He  will  move  still  more,  stepping  backward  or  for- 
ward (not  hitching  sideways),  at  his  transitions.  But 
he  should  not  be  constantly  moving;  it  makes  the 
audience  also  restless ;  should  not  walk  back  and  forth 
along  the  edge  of  the  platform  like  a  caged  lionj 


DECLAMATION  87 

should  not  shrug  his  shoulders,  or  twist  his  mouth, 
or  make  faces.  Note  how  the  water-drinking  or 
handkerchief  habit  will  distract  the  attention  of  an 
audience ;  the  thought  is,  when  will  the  speaker  take 
another  drink  or  next  grasp  his  handkerchief  I  If  the 
distracting  cause  is  beyond  the  speaker's  control,  cir- 
cumstances must,  of  course,  determine  the  course  of 
action,  but  the  mistake  is  often  made  of  attempting  to 
ignore  things  that  an  audience  will  not  ignore.  If  a 
window  is  to  be  opened  or  closed,  or  a  dog  removed, 
let  the  speaker,  when  possible,  join  the  audience  in 
w^atching  the  proceeding,  and  then  continue  with  the 
speech. 

Gestures. — Reference  is  now  made  to  gesture  in  its 
narrower  sense,  the  use  of  the  arms  and  the  hands 
as  an  aid  in  emphasizing  or  suggesting  the  thought. 
More  nonsense  has  been  written  about  gesture  in 
manuals  of  elocution  than  about  any  other  one  thing 
connected  with  delivery,  and  yet  the  problem  remains. 

Used  sparingly  and  effectively,  gestures  are  a  pow- 
erful aid  to  public  speaking.  Any  live  speaker  feels 
an  impulse  at  times  to  use  his  arms  and  hands,  and 
the  problem  is  to  see  that  these  movements  work 
themselves  out  along  graceful  and  effective  lines. 
The  first  effort  of  the  student  usually  needs  to  be 
directed  towards  limbering  up  his  arms  and  body, 
avoiding  all  rigidity,  and  cultivating  the  passive  and 
elastic  state. 

In  general,  gestures  should  be  made  from  the  chest 


88  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

as  a  center.  The  impulse  should  go  from  the  speaker 
out  through  the  upper  arm,  forearm,  wrist,  and  hand 
to  the  audience.  The  arm  itself  in  almost  any  gesture 
is  slightly  curved,  more  so,  of  course,  in  suggestive 
gestures  than  in  strongly  emphatic  ones.  Gesture 
being  a  sign  language,  a  movement  that  suggests  a 
particular  scene  or  picture  should  precede  the  vocal 
description.  Since  the  emphatic  gesture  simply  sup- 
plements the  vocal  emphasis,  it  is  given  simultane- 
ously with  vocal  utterance.  For  the  purpose  of  the 
public  speaker,  as  disting-uished  from  the  actor  or  the 
dramatic  reader,  the  direct  emphatic  gesture  should 
chiefly  be  used. 

Avoid  gesturing  at  the  beginning  or  at  the  very 
close  of  a  speech.  Do  not  gesture  to  yourself  or 
towards  yourself,  that  is,  strike  attitudes  with  your 
hands  clasped,  or  hand  on  heart,  etc.  Avoid  seesaw 
gesturing,  that  is,  beginning  a  gesture  with  one  hand 
and  then  bringing  in  the  other,  or  vice  versa.  Don't 
use  too  many  gestures.  This  is  worse  than  none  at  all. 
In  fact,  certain  selections  require  very  few  or  no  ges- 
tures. But  whether  gesturing  or  not,  don 't  stick  your 
thumbs  and  fingers  out  as  if  they  were  sticks.  Neitlier 
should  you  close  them  as  if  they  were  glued  to  your 
palms. 

Finally,  do  not  gesture  without  an  impulse  to  ges- 
ture. After  all,  this  is  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter.  Attempting  to  affect  gesture  from  the  out- 
side has  lost  many  more  audiences  than  it  ever  won. 


DECLAMATION  89 

Taboo  the  gesture  that  you  cannot  feel.  If  you  feel 
like  making  a  gesture,  make  it.  Then  criticise  your- 
self and  get  other  people  to  criticise  you.  But  don't 
let  gesture  be  thrust  upon  you.  Eemember  that  arti- 
ficial, mechanical  gestures  are  far  worse  than  none 
at  all. 

EXERCISES 

I.  Practice  stepping  out  before  the  class  and  standing 
erect,  but  with  the  body  in  easy  poise.  Look  for  a  moment 
at  those  in  the  middle  of  the  room ;  then  turn  and  look  di- 
rectly at  those  on  your  left;  then  turn  again  and  look 
directly  at  those  to  the  right.  In  turning  about  be  sure  that 
you  do  not  turn  the  head  alone,  or  the  body  only  from  the 
hips,  but  move  the  feet  so  as  to  turn  the  whole  body  and 
face  directly,  in  turn,  different  groups  in  the  audience. 

II.  Practice,  either  in  class  or  by  yourself,  the  following 
calisthenics : 

1.  Dangle  the  hands,  and  shake  the  arms  freely  from  the 
shoulders,  (a)  at  the  side,  (b)  held  horizontally  in  front, 
and  (c)  horizontally  at  the  side. 

2.  Kotate  the  body  on  the  hip-joints,  letting  the  arms  and 
hands  swing  freely.  Begin  slowly,  turning  the  trunk  and 
head  as  much  as  possible,  then  gradually  accelerate  until  the 
movement  is  as  rapid  and  energetic  as  possible. 

3.  Raise  the  upper  arm  slightly,  the  forearm  and  hand 
trailing.  Now  unfold  the  arm  and  hand  by  consciously 
vitalizing  in  turn  the  forearm,  wrist,  palm,  fingers,  the  hand 
opening  at  about  the  level  of  the  hips  and  midway  between 
the  front  and  side.  Practice  this  with  the  right  arm  and 
hand,  then  the  left,  then  both  together. 

4.  Practice  the  foregoing  unfolding  movement,  first  with 
one  arm  and  hand,  and  then  with  both  together,  the  hands 


90  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

unfolding  directly  in  front  at  first ;  then,  in  succession,  dur- 
ing five  or  six  repetitions,  end  the  movement  at  varying 
angles  between  the  front  and  the  side. 

5.  Imagine  you  are  raising  a  pound  ball  held  in  the  palm 
of  the  hand;  raise  it  to  a  level  with  the  head,  then  east  it 
down,  letting  it  roll  out  of  the  palm  and  over  the  fingers. 

III.  In  the  light  of  the  directions  and  explanations  that 
follow,  practice  the  execution  of  the  direct,  emphatic  ges- 
ture: 

Any  gesture  may  be  analyzed  into  the  movements 
(a)  of  preparation  and  (b)  of  execution,  or  stroke. 
Let  us  see  how  this  works  out  in  a  given  gesture. 
Suppose  you  want  to  emphasize  by  gesture  the  nega- 
tion expressed  in  the  following:  ''You  say  that  we 
are  weak ;  but  I  say  that  we  are  not  weak. ' '  You  are 
to  emphasize  not.  Beginning  with  the  second  clause, 
you  have  this  purpose  in  mind.  The  purpose  is  indi- 
cated by  raising  the  arm  and  hand,  the  elbow  and 
fingers  slightly  bent — not  rigid,  yet  alive — the  arm 
descending  with  a  vigorous  stroke  on  not.  The  cul- 
mination of  this  stroke  is  marked  by  a  straightening 
of  the  arm,  hand,  and  fingers  (though  not  stifiiy),  the 
impulse  going  out  through  the  tips  of  the  fingers. 
Remember  that  the  impulse  is  to  be  sent  out  to  the 
audience,  and  not  lodged  in  the  elbow  or  wrist,  with  a 
resulting  lifeless  hand.  The  hand  should  be  opened 
toward  the  audience, — palm,  thumb,  and  fingers — 
neither  perpendicularly  nor  horizontally,  neither 
rigid  nor  lifeless.  Try  to  feel  the  impulse  to  the  very 
finger-tips,  and  hold  the  hand  there  a  moment  until 


DECLAMATION  91 

the  impulse  is  spent,  then  allow  the  arm  to  come  back 
easily  to  the  side.  Try  this,  first  one  hand,  then  the 
other,  then  both  together. 


LESSONS  29-40 

Declamations  for  Class  Drill 

To  the  Teacher. — A  number  of  class  meetings — as 
many  as  time  permits — may  well  be  given  at  this 
point  to  practice  by  each  student,  in  turn,  in  speaking 
to  the  class  as  an  audience.  The  following  sugges- 
tions are  offered  as  to  methods  of  conducting  these 
exercises : 

1.  Let  the  students  first  study  a  given  selection  for 
the  thought-content  and  present  to  the  class,  either  in 
oral  or  written  reports,  the  thought  analysis  as  out- 
lined in  Chapter  I. 

2.  Let  the  students  orally  interpret  a  selection  by 
reading  it  in  class,  with  criticisms  and  suggestions  by 
the  teacher  and  the  class. 

3.  Select  some  or  all  of  the  following  declamations 
for  class  drill,  and  assign  all  or  part  of  a  declamation 
to  each  member  of  the  class,  in  turn,  for  memorizing 
and  delivery  to  the  class  as  an  audience.  A  three- 
minute  extract  is  long  enough ;  so  let  two  students,  in 
turn,  take  approximately  half  of  each  of  the  longer 
selections.  For  a  class  of  the  usual  size,  this  plan  has 
the  advantage  of  allowing  three  or  four  students  to 
practice  together  on  the  same  selection,  and  at  the 


92  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

same  time  it  avoids  the  disadvantage  of  having  a 
selection  grow  stale  through  continual  repetition. 

If  the  class  is  an  unusually  large  one,  divide  it,  if 
practicable,  into  two  or  more  sections  to  meet  in  dif- 
ferent rooms,  each  section  provided  with  a  responsi- 
ble tutor  or  monitor. 

Another  plan  which  has  been  carried  out  success- 
fully in  some  schools  is  to  assign  one  or  two  speakers 
to  appear  before  each  of  several  other  classes,  meet- 
ing at  the  same  period.  Another  plan  still  is  to  have 
each  member  of  the  class  speak,  in  turn,  before  the 
whole  school  as  an  audience. 

4.  Require  each  speaker  to  regard  his  appearance 
as  though  it  were  a  real  occasion.  Allow  no  prompt- 
ing. 

5.  It  is  usually  the  better  plan  to  center  attention, 
in  the  first  efforts,  to  expression  by  voice ;  attention 
to  actional  expression  may  well  be  deferred,  in  large 
part,  until  confidence  is  gained  through  repeated 
appearances. 

6.  The  declamations  that  follow — some  new  and 
some  ''old  favorites" — are  all  good,  as  experience 
has  proved,  for  the  purposes  of  class  drill.  The 
prefatory  suggestions  relative  to  interpretation  and 
delivery  are,  of  course,  merely  suggestions,  and  are 
by  no  means  exhaustive. 

7.  In  the  final  review,  let  the  members  of  the  class 
cooperate  with  the  teacher  in  offering  criticisms  and 
suggestions.    Remember  that  commendation  as  well 


DECLAMATION  93 

as  adverse  criticism  is  always  in  order.  Some  such 
score  card  as  the  one  below  will  be  helpful  for  noting 
an  estimate  of  each  speaker's  effort.  If  the  grading 
is  absolutely  impartial,  the  average  of  the  students 
might  well  determine  the  ranking  of  each  speaker. 
In  suggesting  the  following  blank  outline  for  a  score 
card,  it  should  be  noted  that  over-elaborate  systems 
of  scoring  are  more  confusing  than  practical.  A 
score  card,  be  it  written  or  printed,  should  have  suffi- 
cient space  for  notes  under  each  heading. 


Score  Card  for  Grading  a  Declamation 

I.      THE  SELECTION 

1.  Was  the  declamation  suited  to  the  speaker  and  the 
occasion  ? 

2.  Was  it  well  interpreted? 

3.  Did  the  speaker,  while  delivering  the  words,  think  of 
their  meaning? 

n.       DELIVERY 

1.  By  voice  (note  faults  and  merits  as  to  enunciation, 
pitch,  rate,  emphasis,  inflection,  quahty,  etc.). 

2.  By  action  (note  faults  and  merits  as  to  carriage,  atti- 
tude toward  the  audience,  and  physical  expression  gen- 
erally). 

III.      GENERAL    EFFECT   UPON    THE   AUDIENCE 

(Record  your  estimate  of  the  effort  as  a  whole  by  grading 
on  the  basis  of  100  as  perfect.) 


94  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Eloquence  of  Daniel  O'Connell 

WENDELL  PHILLIPS 

The  following  extract  from  Phillips'  lecture  on  O'Connell  has 
been  a  great  favorite  in  declamation  contests.  This  is  due  ( 1 )  to  the 
wide  range  of  emotions  that  the  speech  touches,  ( 2 )  to  the  charm  of 
expression,  (3)  to  the  many  changes,  allowing  great  variety  in  the 
delivery.  For  example,  the  quotation  from  Webster  should  be  given 
with  exaggerated  volume,  a  deep  orotimd  tone,  and  simulated  force; 
then  the  voice  drops,  in  quoting  the  remark  of  Lowell,  into  the  purely 
colloquial,  off-hand  style.  It  is  a  fine  selection  for  individual  coach- 
ing or  class  drill. 

I  do  not  think  I  exaggerate  when  I  say  that  never  since 
God  made  Demosthenes  has  He  made  a  man  better  fitted  for 
a  great  work  than  Daniel  0  'Connell. 

You  may  say  that  I  am  partial  to  my  hero;  but  John 
Randolph  of  Roanoke,  who  hated  an  Irishman  almost  as 
much  as  he  did  a  Yankee,  when  he  got  to  London  and  heard 
O'Connell,  the  old  slaveholder  threw  up  his  hands  and 
exclaimed:  "This  is  the  man,  those  are  the  lips,  the  most 
eloquent  that  speak  English  in  my'day,"  and  I  think  he  was 
right. 

Webster  could  address  a  bench  of  judges ;  Everett  could 
charm  a  college ;  Choate  could  delude  a  jury ;  Clay  could 
magnetize  a  senate ;  and  Tom  Corwin  could  hold  the  mob 
in  his  right  hand,  but  no  one  of  these  men  could  do  more 
than  the  one  thing.  The  wonder  about  O  'Connell  was  that 
he  could  out-talk  Corwin,  he  could  charm  a  college  better 
than  Everett,  and  leave  Clay  himself  far  behind  in  mag- 
netizing a  senate. 

Emerson  says,  "There  is  no  true  eloquence,  unless  there 
is  a  man  behind  the  speech."  Daniel  O'Connell  was  listened 
to  because  all  England  and  Ireland  knew  that  there  was  a 
man  behind  the  speech — one  who  could  be  neither  bought, 
bullied,  nor  cheated. 


DECLAMATION  95 

And  then,  besides  his  irreproachable  character,  0  'Connell 
had  what  is  half  the  power  of  the  popular  orator ;  he  had  a 
majestic  presence.  In  his  youth  he  had  the  brow  of  a 
Jupiter  or  a  Jove,  and  the  stature  of  Apollo.  A  little 
0  'Connell  would  have  been  no  0  'Connell  at  all. 

These  physical  advantages  are  half  the  battle.  You  re- 
member the  story  James  Russell  Lowell  tells  of  Webster 
when,  a  year  or  two  before  his  death,  the  "Whig  party 
thought  of  dissolution.  Webster  came  home  from  Washing- 
ton and  went  down  to  Faneuil  Hall  to  protest,  and  four 
thousand  of  his  fellow  AVhigs  went  out  to  meet  him.  Draw- 
ing himself  up  to  his  loftiest  proportions,  his  brow  charged 
with  thunder,  before  that  sea  of  human  faces,  he  said: 
"Gentlemen,  I  am  a  Whig,  a  Massachusetts  Whig,  a  Faneuil 
Hall  Whig,  a  revolutionary  Whig,  a  constitutional  Whig; 
and  if  you  break  up  the  Whig  party,  sir,  where  am  I  to  go  ? " 
"And,"  says  Lowell,  "we  held  our  breath  thinking  where 
he  could  go.  If  he  had  been  five  feet  three,  we  should  have 
said:    'Who  cares  where  you  go?'  " 

So  is  was  Avith  0 'Connell.  There  was  something  majestic 
in  his  presence  before  he  spoke,  and  he  added  to  it  what 
Webster  had  not,  and  what  Clay  had, — the  magnetism  and 
grace  that  melts  a  million  souls  into  his.  When  I  saw  him 
he  was  sixty-five — lithe  as  a  boy,  his  every  attitude  a  picture, 
his  every  gesture  grace — he  was  still  all  nature ;  nothing  but 
nature  seemed  to  be  speaking  all  over  him.  It  would  have 
been  delicious  to  have  watched  him  if  he  had  not  spoken  a 
word,  and  all  you  thought  of  was  a  greyhound. 

Then  he  had  a  voice  that  covered  the  gamut.  I  heard  him 
once  in  Exeter  Hall  say,  "I  send  my  voice  across  the  Atlan- 
tic, careering  like  the  thunderstorm  against  the  breeze,  to 
tell  the  slave-holder  of  the  Carolinas  that  God 's  thunderbolts 


96  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

are  hot,  and  to  remind  the  bondman  that  the  dawn  of  his 
redemption  is  already  breaking."  You  seemed  to  hear  his 
voice  reverberating  and  re-echoing  back  to  London  from  the 
Rocky  ]\Iountains.  And  then,  with  the  slightest  possible 
Irish  brogue,  he  would  tell  a  story  that  would  make  all 
Exeter  Hall  laugh,  and  the  next  moment  tears  in  his  voice, 
like  an  old  song,  and  five  thousand  men  wept.  And  all  the 
while  no  effort — he  seemed  only  breathing. 

' '  As  effortless  as  woodland  nooks 
Send  violets  up,  and  paint  them  blue." 

"I  Am  an  American" 

ELIAS  LIEBERMANN 

This  is  adapted  from  a  poem  in  Everyhody's  Magazine  for  July, 
1916.  Since  this  selection  requires  strong  feeling  and  force  through- 
out, especial  care  should  be  used  in  pausing  and  changing  the  delivery 
— dropping  for  a  moment  to  the  conversational  style  at  the  transi- 
tional paragraphs  when  each  boy  is  introduced. 

The  Great  War  in  Europe  has  made  a  strong  call  for  the 
exercise  of  American  patriotism.  And  why  should  not 
Americans  be  patriotic?  If  the  German  believes  that  his 
Fatherland  is  of  more  value  than  life  itself;  if  the  English- 
man thrills  at  the  thought  of  the  British  Empire;  if  the 
Irishman  knows  no  country  as  dear  as  the  Emerald  Isle ;  if 
the  Frenchman's  living  and  dying  prayer  is,  "Vive  la 
France";  if  the  Chinaman  pities  everybody  born  outside 
the  Flowery  Kingdom,  and  the  Japanese  give  their  sole 
devotion  to  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun — shall  not  we,  in 
this  land  of  glorious  liberty,  have  some  thought  and  love  of 
country  ? 

At   a  meeting   of   school   children   in   Madison   Square 
Garden,  New  York  City,  to  celebrate  the  Fourth  of  July, 


DECLAMATION  97 

one  boy,  a  descendant  of  native  Americans,  spoke  as  fol- 
lows: 

"I  am  an  American.  My  father  belongs  to  the  Sons  of 
the  Revolution ;  my  mother,  to  the  Colonial  Dames.  One  of 
my  ancestors  pitched  tea  overboard  in  Boston  Harbor;  an- 
other stood  his  ground  with  Warren ;  another  hungered  with 
Washington  at  Valley  Forge.  My  forefathers  were  Ameri- 
can in  the  making :  they  spoke  in  her  council  halls ;  they  died 
on  her  battlefields ;  they  commanded  her  ships ;  they  cleared 
her  forests.  Dawns  reddened  and  paled.  Stanch  hearts 
of  mine  beat  fast  at  each  new  star  in  the  nation 's  flag.  Keen 
eyes  of  mine  foresaw  her  greater  glory;  the  sweep  of  her 
seas,  the  plenty  of  her  plains,  the  man-hives  in  her  billion- 
wired  cities.  Every  drop  of  blood  in  me  holds  a  heritage 
of  patriotism.    I  am  proud  of  my  past.    I  am  an  American. ' ' 

Then  a  foreign-born  boy  arose  and  said*. 

"I  am  an  American.  My  father  was  an  atom  of  dust,  my 
mother  was  a  straw  in  the  wind,  to  His  Serene  Majesty.  One 
of  my  ancestors  died  in  the  mines  of  Siberia ;  another  was 
crippled  for  life  by  twenty  blows  of  the  knout;  another  was 
killed  defending  his  home  during  the  massacres.  The  his- 
tory of  my  ancestors  is  a  trail  of  blood  to  the  palace-gate 
of  the  Great  White  Czar.  But  then  the  dream  came — the 
dream  of  America.  In  the  light  of  the  Liberty  torch  the 
atom  of  dust  became  a  man  and  the  straw  in  the  wind  be- 
came a  woman  for  the  first  time.  'See,'  said  my  father, 
pointing  to  the  flag  that  fluttered  near,  'that  flag  of  stars  and 
stripes  is  yours ;  it  is  the  emblem  of  the  promised  land.  It 
means,  my  son,  the  hope  of  humanity.  Live  for  it  .  .  .  die 
for  it ! '  Under  the  open  sky  of  my  new  country  I  swore  to 
do  so ;  and  every  drop  of  blood  in  me  will  keep  that  vow. 
I  am  proud  of  my  future.    I  am  an  American. ' ' 


98  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

A  Message  to  Garcia 

ELBERT   HUBBARD 

The  author  of  this  selection,  who  went  down  on  the  ill-fated 
Lusitania,  was  discussing  the  incident  related  below,  so  the  story 
goes,  at  the  supper  table  one  night  with  his  family.  He  was  so  im- 
pressed with  the  incident  and  its  lesson  that  he  at  once  retired  to  his 
study  and  wrote  the  article  from  which  the  following  is  an  extract. 
It  was  first  published  in  the  Philistine  for  March,  1899.  The  theme  of 
this  article,  re-enforced  by  the  ''punch"  of  the  author's  English, 
struck  a  responsive  chord  on  the  part  of  the  public.  Millions  of 
copies  of  the  article  were  later  printed  and  distributed,  and  it  was 
translated  into  several  foreign  languages.  It  has  also  had  a  record- 
breaking  run  as  a  declamation,  being  a  favorite  in  prize  contests.  The 
delivery,  though  forceful  on  the  whole,  is  relieved  by  many  changes; 
there  is  opportunity  for  great  variety,  especially  in  the  first  five 
paragraphs.  The  first  three  are  introductory  and  should  be  given  in 
a  conversational  style,  the  quotation  in  even  a  colloquial  style.  Bear 
in  mind  that  the  theme  is  the  thing  to  be  emphasized  throughout ;  that 
is :  honor  to  the  man  who  arrives,  who  does  things,  and  who  acts 
on  his  own  initiative. 

When  war  broke  out  between  Spain  and  the  United  States, 
it  was  very  necessary  to  communicate  quickly  with  the  leader 
of  the  Insurgents,  Garcia  was  somewhere  in  the  mountain 
fastnesses  of  Cuba — no  one  knew  where.  No  mail  nor  tele- 
graph message  could  reach  him.  The  President  must  secure 
his  co-operation,  and  quickly. 

What  to  do  ? 

Some  one  said  to  the  President,  ''There's  a  fellow  named 
Rowan  will  find  Garcia  for  you,  if  anybody  can." 

Rowan  was  sent  for  and  given  a  letter  to  be  delivered  to 
Garcia.  How  "the  fellow  named  Rowan"  took  the  letter, 
sealed  it  up  in  an  oilskin  pouch,  strapped  it  over  his  heart, 
in  four  days  landed  by  night  off  the  coast  of  Cuba  from  an 
open  boat,  disappeared  into  the  jungle,  and  in  three  weeks 
came  out  on  the  other  side  of  the  island,  having  traversed  a. 


DECLAMATION  99 

hostile  country  on  foot,  and  delivered  his  letter  to  Garcia — 
are  things  I  have  no  special  desire  now  to  dwell  upon  in  the 
least  detail. 

The  point  I  wish  to  make  is  this :  McKinley  gave  Rowan 
a  letter  to  be  delivered  to  Garcia ;  Rowan  took  the  letter  and 
did  not  ask,  "Where  is  he  at?"  By  the  Eternal !  there  is  a 
man  whose  form  should  be  cast  in  deathless  bronze  and  that 
statue  placed  in  every  college  of  the  land.  It  is  not  book- 
learning  young  men  need,  not  instruction  about  this  and 
that,  but  a  stiffening  of  the  vertebrae  which  will  cause  them 
to  be  loyal  to  a  trust,  to  act  promptly,  concentrate  their  ener- 
gies ;  do  the  thing — * '  Carry  a  message  to  Garcia ! ' ' 

General  Garcia  is  dead  now,  but  there  are  other  Garcias. 
No  man,  who  has  endeavored  to  carry  out  an  enterprise 
where  many  hands  were  needed,  but  has  been  well-nigh  ap- 
palled at  times  by  the  imbecility  of  the  average  man — the 
inability  or  unwillingness  to  concentrate  on  a  thing  and  do  it. 
And  this  incapacity  for  independent  action,  this  moral 
stupidity,  this  infirmity  of  the  will,  this  unwillingness  to 
cheerfully  catch  hold  and  lift,  are  things  that  put  pure 
Socialism  so  far  into  the  future.  If  men  will  not  act  for 
themselves,  what  will  they  do  when  the  benefit  of  their  effort 
is  for  all  ? 

My  heart  goes  out  to  the  man  who  does  his  work  when  the 
' ' boss"  is  away,  as  well  as  when  he  is  at  home.  And  the  man 
who,  when  given  a  letter  for  Garcia,  quietly  takes  the  mis- 
sive, without  asking  any  idiotic  questions,  and  with  no  lurk- 
ing intention  of  chucking  it  into  the  nearest  sewer,  or  of 
doing  aught  else  but  deliver  it,  never  gets  ' '  laid  off, ' '  nor  has 
to  go  on  a  strike  for  higher  wages.  Civilization  is  one  long, 
anxious  search  for  just  such  individuals.  Anything  such 
a  man  asks  shall  be  granted ;  his  kind  is  so  rare  that  no 
employer  can  afford  to  let  him  go.  He  is  wanted  in  every 
city,  town,  and  village — in  every  office,  shop,  store,  and  fac- 


100  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

tory.     The  world  cries  out  for  such;  he  is  needed,   and 
needed  badly — the  man  who  can  carry  a  message  to  Garcia. 


The  AVoe  of  Belgium 

NEWELL  DWIGHT  HILLIS 

This  is  an  extract  from  a  lecture  delivered  in  Plymouth  Church, 
Brooklyn,  shortly  after  the  German  drive  through  Belgium  at  the 
opening  of  the  World  War.  Pathos  is,  of  course,  the  dominant  emo- 
tion. This  gives  way  momentarily  to  other  emotions  in  parts  of  the 
first  two  paragraphs,  but  the  pathos  of  the  whole  is  to  be  strongly 
felt  and  expressed. 

Out  of  a  glorious  past  comes  the  woe  of  Belgium.    Desola- 
tion has  come  like  the  whirlwind,  and  destruction  like  a  tor- 
nado.    But  a  short  time  ago  and  Belgium  was  a  hive  of 
industry,  and  in  the  fields  were  heard  the  harvest  songs. 
Suddenly,  Germany  struck  Belgium.    The  whole  world  has 
but  one  voice,  "Belgium  has  innocent  hands, ' '    She  was  led 
like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter.    When  the  lover  of  Germany  is 
asked  to  explain  Germany's  breaking  of  her  solemn  treaty 
upon  the  neutrality  of  Belgium,  the  German  stands  dumb 
and  speechless.    Merchants  honor  their  written  obligations. 
True  citizens  consider  their  word  as  good  as  their  bond ;  Ger- 
many gave  a  treaty,  and,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  the 
civilized  world,  entered  into  a  solemn  covenant  with  Bel- 
gium.    To  the  end  of  time,  the  German  must  expect  this 
taunt,  "as  worthless  as  a  German  treaty."     Scarcely  less 
black  are  the  two  or  three  known   examples   of  cruelty 
wrought  upon  non-resisting  Belgians.     In  Brooklyn  lives  a 
Belgian  woman.    She  planned  to  return  home  in  late  July 
to  visit  a  father  who  had  suffered  paralysis,  an  aged  mother, 
and  a  sister  who  nursed  both.    When  the  Germans  decided 
to  burn  that  village  in  Eastern  Belgium,  they  did  not  wish 
to  burn  alive  this  old  and  helpless  man,  so  they  bayonetted 


DECLAMATION  101 

to  death  the  old  man  and  woman,  and  the  daughter  that 
nursed  them. 

Let  us  judge  not,  that  we  be  not  judged.  This  is  the  one 
example  of  atrocity  that  you  and  I  might  be  able  personally 
to  prove.  But  every  loyal  German  in  the  country  can  make 
answer:  ''These  soldiers  were  drunk  with  wine  and  blood. 
Such  an  atrocity  misrepresents  Germany  and  her  soldiers. 
The  breaking  of  Germany's  treaty  with  Belgium  represents 
the  dishonor  of  a  military  ring,  and  not  the  perfidy  of  68,- 
000,000  of  people.  We  ask  that  judgment  be  postponed  until 
all  the  facts  are  in." 

But  meanwhile  the  heart  bleeds  for  Belgium.  For  Brus- 
sels, the  third  most  beautiful  city  in  Europe  !  For  Louvain, 
once  rich  with  its  libraries,  cathedrals,  statues,  paintings, 
missals,  manuscripts — now  a  ruin.  Alas !  for  the  ruined 
harvests  and  the  smoking  villages !  Alas  !  for  the  cathedral 
that  is  a  heap,  and  the  library  that  is  a  ruin !  Where  the 
angel  of  happiness  was,  there  stalks  Famine  and  Death. 
Gone,  the  Land  of  Grotius!  Perished,  the  paintings  of 
Rubens !  Ruined  is  Louvain.  Where  the  wheat  waved,  now 
the  hillsides  are  billowy  with  graves. 

But  let  us  believe  that  God  reigns.  The  spirit  of  evil 
caused  this  war,  but  the  Spirit  of  God  may  bring  good  out  of 
it,  just  as  the  summer  can  repair  the  ravages  of  winter. 
Perchance  Belgium  is  slain  like  the  Saviour,  that  militarism 
may  die  like  Satan.  Without  shedding  of  innocent  blood 
there  is  no  remission  of  sins  through  tyranny  and  greed. 
There  is  no  wine  without  the  crushing  of  the  grapes  from 
the  tree  of  life.  Soon  Liberty,  God's  dear  child,  will  stand 
within  the  scene  and  comfort  the  desolate.  Falling  upon  the 
great  world 's  altar  stairs,  in  this  hour  when  wisdom  is  igno- 
rance, and  the  strongest  man  clutches  at  dust  and  straw,  let 
us  believe,  with  faith  victorious  over  tears,  that  some  time 
God  will  gather  broken-hearted  little  Belgium  into  His  arms 


"^ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 


a^  comfort  her  as  a  Father  comforteth  his  well-beloved 
^hild. 

At  the  Tomb  of  Napoleon 

ROBERT   G.    INGERSOLL 

This  has  long  been  a  favorite  for  declamation,  and  naturally  so, 
for  it  is  in  Ingersoll's  best  style.  A  vivid  imagination,  that  will  en- 
able you  to  see,  at  the  moment  of  speaking,  the  things  described,  is 
essential  for  effective  delivery.  Bring  out  naturally  the  changes. 
Note  that  each  one  of  the  incidents  of  Napoleon's  career  requires  a 
different  emotion.  Don 't  ruin  this  part  of  the  declamation,  as  is  often 
done,  by  excessive  gesturing.  If  you  see  the  pictures  vividly,  your 
audience  will  also  see  them  without  constant  gestures.  The  rate 
in  the  last  paragraph  should  be  much  slower  than  in  the  one  preced- 
ing, where  action  is  portray'ed. 


//■ 


A  To  show  how  military  glory  fails  to  bring  happiness, 
obert  G.  Ingersoll  once  said : 

A  little  while  ago  I  stood  by  the  grave  of  the  old  Napoleon. 
It  is  a  magnificent  tomb  of  gilt  and  gold,  fit  almost  for  a 
dead  deity.  I  gazed  upon  the  sarcophagus  of  rare  Egyptian 
marble  in  which  rests  at  last  the  ashes  of  that  restless  man. 
I  leaned  upon  the  balustrade  and  thought  of  the  career  of 
the  greatest  soldier  of  the  modern  world.  I  saw  him  walking 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Seine  contemplating  suicide.  I  saw 
him  quelling  the  mob  in  the  streets  of  Paris.  I  saw  him  at 
the  head  of  the  army  of  Italy.  I  saw  him  crossing  the 
Bridge  of  Lodi  with  the  tricolor  in  his  hand.  I  saw  him  in 
Egypt  in  the  shadows  of  the  Pyramids.  I  saw  him  conquer 
the  Alps  and  mingle  the  eagles  of  France  with  the  eagles 
of  the  crags.  I  saw  him  in  Kussia,  where  the  infantry  of  the 
snow  and  the  cavalry  of  the  wild  blasts  scattered  his  legions 
like  winter's  withered  leaves.  I  saw  him  at  Leipsic  in  defeat 
and  disaster,  driven  by  a  million  bayonets,  clutched  like  a 
wild  beast,  banished  to  Elba.  I  saw  him  escape  and  retake 
an  empire  by  the  force  of  his  genius.    I  saw  him  upon  the 


DECLAMATIOIN  103 

frightful  field  of  AYaterloo,  where  Chance  and  Fate  com- 
bined to  wreck  the  fortunes  of  their  former  king,  and  I  saw 
him  a  prisoner  on  the  rock  at  St.  Helena,  with  his  arms 
calmly  folded  behind  his  back,  gazing  steadfastly  out  upon 
the  sad  and  solemn  sea. 

And  I  thought  of  all  the  widows  and  orphans  he  had 
made ;  of  all  the  tears  that  had  been  shed  for  his  glory ;  of 
the  only  woman  who  had  ever  loved  him  torn  from  his  heart 
by  the  ruthless  hand  of  ambition.  And  I  said,  I  would  rather 
have  been  a  poor  French  peasant  and  worn  wooden  shoes, 
I  would  rather  have  lived  in  a  hut  with  the  vines  growing 
over  the  door  and  the  grapes  growing  purple  in  the  kisses 
of  the  autumn  sun ;  yes,  I  would  rather  have  been  that  poor 
peasant  and  gone  down  to  the  tongueless  silence  of  the 
dreamless  dust,  than  to  have  been  that  impersonation  of 
force  and  murder  known  as  Napoleon  the  Great. 

The  Homeland 

NEHEMIAH  BOYNTON 

This  is  an  extract  from  a  speech  delivered  before  the  New  England 
Society,  New  York  City,  December,  1911.  Note  the  skillful  manner 
in  which  the  theme  is  linked  with  the  opening  illustrative  story.  Be 
sure  that  your  hearers  get  the  point.  If  well  delivered,  the  sentiment 
and  language  of  this  selection  will  make  a  strong  appeal  to  any 
audience. 

Many  of  you  know  your  Wordsworth,  and  you  doubtless 
remember  the  pastor  and  the  little  company  out  in  the  open 
in  Merry  England  that  looked  up  the  road  and  saw  a  man 
coming  along  driving  a  brave  team  of  horses  that  were  draw- 
ing a  load  of  logs.  The  man  himself  was  in  the  evening  of 
his  life ;  the  white  hair  was  curling  about  the  forehead,  but 
there  was  the  ruddy  glow  of  health  upon  his  cheek  and  the 
splendid  magnificence  of  his  stature,  which  never  had  been 
bent  by  increasing  years,  was  still  his.    He  was  a  man  who 


104  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

looked,  so  the  poet  said,  ''as  if  he  were  in  the  possession  of 
freedom,  and  of  gaiety,  and  of  health";  "he  was  a  man," 
so  the  poet  said, ' '  who  had  escaped  the  fear  of  loss,  and  like- 
wise the  pride  of  having."  Indeed,  as  he  pointed  to  him, 
the  pastor  said,  "There  goes  a  man  who  seems  to  be  a  man 
of  cheerful  yesterdays  and  of  confident  to-morrows. ' '  That 
is  the  man  who  has  lived  over  and  over  again  in  real  life 
in  the  person  of  our  forebears,  who  were  four  square  and 
ambidextered  men  in  their  own  lives  and  hearts,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  hearts  of  the  children  who  have  come  after 
them. 

And  so,  fellow  Americans,  it  is  because  of  these  cheerful 
yesterdays  which  rise  above  all  egotism  and  all  pessimism, 
because  of  these  confident  to-morrows,  that  you  and  I  may 
well  rejoice  that  it  is  ours  to  live  beneath  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  and  may  turn  away  from  the  felicities  of  an  hour  like 
this  with  a  nobler  pulse  beat  in  our  hearts  and  a  truer  pur- 
pose in  our  souls  to  reproduce  in  our  day  and  in  our  genera- 
tion, according  to  the  need  of  the  times  in  which  we  live,  the 
spirit — the  ideal,  the  four  square  characters — of  those 
brave  men  of  yesterday. 

Ah !  If  one  is  far  away  from  America  sometimes  the  re- 
collection of  the  beauty  and  the  trueness  of  the  homeland 
comes  in  upon  him  with  overpowering  influence.  Have  you 
never  felt  it  yourself  when  in  some  faraway  and  foreign 
city,  perhaps,  separated  from  your  friends,  you  have  thought 
of  the  conditions,  social,  political,  religious,  which  were 
about  you,  and  then,  as  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  have 
thought  about  those  conditions  social,  political  and  domestic, 
which  are  yours  in  the  "land  of  the  free  and  home  of  the 
brave"?  Do  you  not  remember  how  your  heart  beat  with 
a  great  pride  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  great  longing  on  the 
other?  Why?  Because  you  do  believe  in  those  cheerful 
yesterdays  as  the  basis  on  which  shall  be  erected  the  confi- 
dent to-morrows. 


DECLAMATION  105 

One  who,  I  judge,  has  often  been  in  this  company,  and 
very  likely  has  been  at  this  table,  had  such  an  experience. 
He  was  sitting  one  day  in  a  hotel  in  London  when  it  seemed 
to  him  as  if  his  heart  would  break  if  he  could  not  take  a 
steamship  for  the  homeland  before  nightfall,  but  that  was 
absolutely  impossible ;  and  so,  because  he  was  a  man  whose 
soul  sentiment,  compelled  by  its  throb,  took  the  muse  of 
song,  he  took  out  his  pad  and  pencil  and  this  is  what  he 
wrote : 

0  !  London  is  a  fine  town, 

It  is  a  man's  town; 

There  is  power  in  the  air. 

And  Paris  is  a  woman's  town. 

With  flowers  in  her  hair ; 

And  it's  good  to   live   in   Venice, 

And  it 's  fine  to  walk  in  Rome, 

But  when  you  talk  of  living. 

There's  no  place  like  home. 

And  it's  home  again,  home  again, 

America  for  me. 

My  heart  is  turning  home  again. 

To  my  own  country — 

To  the  blessed  land  of  room  enough, 

Beyond  the  ocean  bars. 

Where  the  air  is  filled  with  sunshine, 

And  the  flag  is  filled  with  stars. 

Thou,  Too,  Sail  On  ! 

HENRY    W.    LONGFELLOW 

Well-rounded,  orotund  tones,  especially  for  the  third  stanza,  should 
be  used  in  rendering  this  selection,  Kemember  it  is  the  Ship  of  State 
about  which  you  are  speaking.  Develop  the  climax  in  stanza  3  with 
combined  volume  and  force,  and  notice  especially  the  arrangement 
of  the  words  in  the  last  four  lines;  the  last  "are  all  with  thee"  is 


106  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

anticlimatic — an  echo  of  the  preceding.  Avoid  the  "sing-song" 
manner  of  delivery  in  which  poetry  is  often  rendered — regularly 
recurring  emphasis  and  inflection  and  pauses  at  the  end  of  each  I'lr.d, 
regardless  of  the  sense. 

1 

Sail  forth  into  the  sea,  0  ship ! 
Through  wind  and  wave,  right  onward  steer  ! 
The  moistened  eye,  the  trembling  lip. 
Are  not  the  signs  of  doubt  or  fear. 


Sail  forth  into  the  sea  of  life, 
0  gentle,  loving,  trusting  wife, 
And  safe  from  all  adversity 
Upon  the  bosom  of  that  sea 
Thy  comings  and  thy  goings  be ! 
For  gentleness  and  love  and  trust 
Prevail  o  'er  angry  wave  and  gust ; 
And  in  the  wreck  of  noble  lives 
Something  immortal  still  survives ! 


Thou,  too,  sail  on,  0  Ship  of  State ! 
Sail  on,  0  Union,  strong  and  great! 
Humanity  with  all  its  fears, 
With  all  the  hopes  of  future  years. 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate ! 
We  know  what  Master  laid  thy  keel, 
What  Workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  of  steel, 
Who  made  each  mast,  and  sail,  and  rope, 
What  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat. 
In  what  a  forge  and  what  a  heat 
Were  shaped  the  anchors  of  thy  hope ! 


DECLAMATION  107 

Fear  not  each  sudden  sound  and  shock, 

'Tis  of  the  wave  and  not  the  rock; 

'Tis  but  the  flapping  of  the  sail, 

And  not  a  rent  made  by  the  gale ! 

In  spite  of  rock  and  tempest's  roar, 

In  spite  of  false  lights  on  the  shore, 

Sail  on,  nor  fear  to  breast  the  sea ! 

Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  are  all  with  thee, 

Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  our  prayers,  our  tears. 

Our  faith  triumphant  o'er  our  fears, 

Are  all  with  thee — are  all  with  thee ! 

The  Home  of  the  Republic 

HENRY   W.   GRADY 

This  selection,  like  several  others  from  Grady's  speeches,  has  long 
been  a  favorite  for  declaiming.  Vivid  imagination  and  sustained 
emotion  are  necessary  for  effective  delivery.  Pause  and  change  at  the 
beginning  of  each  paragraph.  The  scenes  and  incidents  that  make  up 
the  composite  picture  of  the  Capitol,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  country 
home,  on  the  other,  might  be  suggested  by  gestures  here  and  there,  but 
for  the  most  part  the  eyes  will  be  the  best  medium  for  gesture.  See 
the  pictures  you  are  describing,  and  then  your  hearers  will  be  quite 
sure  to  see  them  also. 

Not  long  since  I  made  a  trip  to  "Washington,  and  as  I 
stood  on  Capitol  Hill  my  heart  beat  quick  as  I  looked  at  the 
towering  marble  of  my  country's  Capitol,  and  the  mist 
gathered  in  my  eyes  as  I  thought  of  its  tremendous  signif- 
icance, and  the  armies,  and  the  Treasury,  and  the  courts, 
and  Congress  and  the  President,  and  all  that  was  gathered 
there.  And  I  felt  that  the  sun  in  all  its  course  could  not 
look  down  upon  a  better  sight  than  that  majestic  home  of 
the  Republic  that  had  taught  the  world  its  best  lessons  in 
liberty. 

Two  days  afterwards  I  went  to  visit  a  friend  in  the  coun- 


108  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

try,  a  modest  man,  with  a  quiet  country  home.  It  was  just 
a  simple,  unpretentious  house,  set  about  with  great  big 
trees,  encircled  in  meadow  and  fields  rich  with  the  promise 
of  harvest.  The  fragrance  of  pink  and  hollyhock  in  ihi 
front  yard  was  mingled  with  the  aroma  of  the  orchard  and 
the  garden,  and  resonant  with  the  cluck  of  poultry  and  the 
hum  of  bees.  Inside  was  quiet,  cleanliness,  thrift  and  com- 
fort. Outside  there  stood  my  friend — master  of  his  land 
and  master  of  himself.  There  was  his  old  father,  an  aged, 
trembling  man,  happy  in  the  heart  and  home  of  his  son. 
And  as  they  started  to  their  home  the  hands  of  the  old  man 
went  down  on  the  young  man's  shoulders,  laying  there  the 
unspeakable  blessing  of  an  honored  and  grateful  father, 
and  ennobling  it  with  the  Knighthood  of  the  Fifth  Com- 
mandment. And  I  saw  the  night  come  down  on  that  home, 
falling  gently  as  from  the  wings  of  an  unseen  dove,  and  the 
old  man,  while  a  startled  bird  called  from  the  forest,  and  the 
trees  shrilled  with  the  cricket's  cry,  and  the  stars  were 
swarming  in  the  sky,  got  the  family  around  him  and,  tak- 
ing the  old  Bible  from  the  table,  called  them  to  their  knees, 
while  he  closed  the  record  of  that  simple  day  by  calling 
down  God 's  blessing  on  that  family  and  that  home. 

And  while  I  gazed,  the  vision  of  the  marble  Capitol  faded. 
Forgotten  were  its  treasures  and  its  majesty,  and  I  said : 
"0,  surely,  here  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  are  lodged  at 
last  the  strength  and  responsibilities  of  this  government,  the 
hope  and  promise  of  this  Republic." 

The  Death  of  Garfield 

JAMES    G.    BLAINE 

This  is  an  extract  from  an  oration  delivered  before  both  houses 
of  Congress  on  February  26,  1882,  Mr.  Blaine  having  been  Secretary 
of  State  under  President  Garfield.  The  oration  has  established  itself 
as  an  American  classic.     Garfield  was  assassinated  at  the  station  of 


DECLAMATION  109 

the  Pennsylvania  railway,  in  Washington,  as  he  was  boarding  a  train 
for  his  summer  vacation.  In  order  to  appreciate  fully  the  allusions 
in  the  third  paragraph,  it  should  be  remembered  that  after  Garfield 
realized  he  could  not  recover,  he  expressed  a  desire  to  be  taken  to 
the  seaside.  For  this  purpose  a  specially  constructed  car  was  pro- 
vided, and  he  was  conveyed  to  a  summer  home  on  the  New  Jersey 
coast,  where  the  end  finally  came.  Slow  rate,  the  tender  tones  of 
pathos,  due  pauses,  especially  at  the  close,  are  essential  for  effective 
delivery. 

On  the  morning  of  Saturday,  July  2,  1881,  President 
Garfield  was  a  contented  and  happy  man — not  in  an  ordi- 
nary degree,  but  joyfully,  almost  boyishly  happy.  And 
surely,  if  happiness  can  ever  come  from  the  honors  or 
triumphs  of  this  world,  on  that  quiet  July  morning  Garfield 
may  well  have  been  a  happy  man.  No  foreboding  of  evil 
haunted  him ;  no  premonition  of  danger  clouded  his  sky. 
One  moment  he  stood  erect,  strong,  confident  in  the  years 
stretching  peacefully  out  before  him;  the  next  day  he  lay 
wounded,  bleeding,  helpless,  doomed  to  weary  weeks  of  tor- 
ture, to  silence,  and  the  grave. 

Great  in  life,  he  was  surpassingly  great  in  death.  For 
no  cause,  in  the  very  frenzy  of  wantonness  and  wickedness, 
by  the  red  hand  of  murder,  he  was  thrust  from  the  full  tide 
of  this  world's  interests,  from  its  hopes,  its  aspirations,  its 
victories,  into  the  visible  presence  of  death — and  he  did  not 
quail.  Not  alone  for  the  one  short  moment  in  which, 
stunned  and  dazed,  he  could  give  up  life,  hardly  aware  of 
its  relinquishment,  but  through  days  of  deadly  languor, 
through  weeks  of  agony  that  was  not  less  agony  because 
silently  borne,  with  clear  sight  and  calm  courage,  he  looked 
into  his  open  grave. 

As  the  end  drew  near,  his  early  craving  for  the  sea  re- 
turned. The  stately  mansion  of  power  had  become  to  him 
the  wearisome  hospital  of  pain,  and  he  begged  to  be  taken 
from  its  prison  walls,  from  its  oppressive,  stifling  air,  from 


110  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

its  homelessness  and  its  hopelessness.  Gently,  silently,  the 
love  of  a  great  people  bore  the  pale  sufferer  to  the  longed- 
for  healing  of  the  sea,  to  live  or  to  die,  as  God  should  will, 
within  sight  of  its  heaving  billows,  within  sound  of  its  mani- 
fold voices.  With  wan,  fevered  face  tenderly  lifted  to  the 
cooling  breeze,  he  looked  out  wistfully  upon  the  ocean's 
changing  wonders :  on  its  far  sails,  whitening  in  the  morn- 
ing light ;  on  its  restless  waves,  rolling  shoreward  to  break 
and  die  beneath  the  noonday  sun ;  on  the  red  clouds  of  eve- 
ning, arching  low  to  the  horizon ;  on  the  serene  and  shining 
pathway  of  the  stars. 

Let  us  think  that  his  dying  eyes  read  a  mystic  meaning 
which  only  the  rapt  and  parting  soul  may  know.  Let  us 
believe  that  in  the  silence  of  the  receding  world  he  heard 
the  great  waves  breaking  on  a  farther  shore,  and  felt  already 
upon  his  wasted  brow  the  breath  of  the  eternal  morning. 

The  Little  Old  School  of  the  Home 

IRVING  BACHELLER 

This  is  an  extract  from  a  speech  at  the  annual  banquet  of  the 
New  England  Society,  1913.  The  sly  humor  running  through  the 
first  half  of  this  declamation  should  be  appreciated  and  expressed. 
Next  to  the  last  paragraph  begins  the  application  of  the  story.  Pause 
at  this  point  and  express  the  greater  seriousness  as  you  begin  '  *  to 
point  a  moral,"  and  the  seriousness  should  be  sustained  to  the  end. 

When  I  was  eight  years  old  I  became  a  candidate  for 
President  of  the  United  States,  The  nomination  was  a  gen- 
uine surprise,  for  I  had  made  no  effort  to  secure  it.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  there  were  many  things  that  looked  better 
to  me ;  I  would  have  preferred  the  position  of  bass  drummer 
in  the  band  at  the  county  fair,  but  there  were  those  who 
thought  they  knew  what  I  wanted  better  than  I  did.  We 
lived  in  the  land  of  Silas  Wright,  who  spent  more  time  de- 


DECLAMATION  HI 

dining  honors  than  did  other  statesmen  in  trying  to  get 
them.  His  party  wanted  him  to  run  for  President,  but  he 
wouldn't.  My  father  said  that  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  be  as 
good  and  as  great  as  Silas  Wright  and  my  election  was  sure. 
Governor  Wright  had  been  dead  for  twenty  years.  I  soon 
learned  that  he  was  the  greatest  man  that  ever  died — there  is 
no  distinction  like  that.  I  had  no  sooner  got  command  of 
the  theory  and  teclmique  of  one  of  his  virtues  than  he  as- 
sumed another.  When  I  had  acquired  his  gift  of  working 
all  day  and  studying  a  part  of  the  night,  they  told  me  that 
he  always  spent  an  hour  in  the  garden,  pulling  weeds  before 
breakfast.  I  began  to  understand  why  he  was  dead  and  also 
why  he  was  so  talented.  Everybod}'  was  watching  me  and 
nobody  was  watching  Silas.  By  and  by  I  discovered  that 
there  were  other  candidates  for  President  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. The  Silas  game  had  also  been  tried  on  them.  We 
candidates  got  together  one  day  over  in  Howard's  grov(? 
and  discussed  the  issues.  We  were  sick  of  the  campaign — 
too  many  weeds  in  it.  We  all  withdrew  and  ran  away  from 
school  and  spent  a  joyful  afternoon  at  the  old  swimmin' 
hole.  Next  morning  I  came  downstairs  at  breakfast  time 
and  found  that  the  teacher  had  been  there.  I  observed  a 
general  air  of  depression  in  the  family. 

My  father  said  in  a  kindly  tone :  "I  thought  that  you 
intended  to  be  President?" 

I  told  him  that  I  had  withdrawn. 

Then  he  said  :    ' '  Will  you  please  come  with  me  ? ' ' 

I  went.  It  was  a  beautiful  summer  morning,  as  calm  as 
be.  A  squirrel  looked  down  at  me  from  a  tree-top  as  if  he 
had  a  hole  to  recommend.  I  followed  in  silence  through 
the  garden  walk  and  out  under  the  orchard  boughs.  Not 
a  word  was  spoken.  My  father  stopped  and  cut  a  sprout 
from  one  of  the  trees  and  then  another  and  trimmed  them 
as  he  walked.     He  stopped  and  whittled,  looking   down 


112  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

thoughtfully.    I  stood  near  him.    After  a  moment  of  silence 
he  said: 

"I  suppose  you  know  the  object  of  this  meeting?" 

I  admitted  that  I  did. 

Suddenly  I  heard  a  boy  yelling  down  in  the  valley.  It 
was  the  voice  of  an  ex-candidate.  In  a  minute  he  knew  that 
I  was  with  him.  After  all,  what  did  this  striving  to  be 
angels  and  Presidents  amount  to  ?  Not  one  of  us  was  ever 
elected. 

Such  was  the  little  republic  of  the  home  when  I  was  a  boy. 
It  had  its  chief  magistrate,  its  small  legislature,  its  depart- 
ment of  justice.  It  had  a  little  school  of  its  own  in  which 
men  were  made.  Two  things  were  taught  in  it — loyalty  and 
faith.  Loyalty  to  the  home  and  its  ideals;  faith  in  one's 
self.  We  've  no  more  use  for  that  little  school.  Too  small ! 
too  much  trouble  !  we  are  so  busy  making  money  and  spend- 
ing it  we  can't  bother  with  making  men.  We  educate  our 
children  by  the  thousand  and  no  longer  by  the  one.  It's 
cheaper.     Our  learning,  like  our  living,  is  syndicated. 

There  are  six  men  who  have  done  all  the  big  things  accom- 
plished in  America  since  1850.  They  are :  Commodore 
Vanderbilt,  who  gave  us  the  railroad  system ;  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, our  greatest  statesman ;  Thomas  A.  Edison,  our  great- 
est inventor;  Horace  Greeley,  our  greatest  journalist;  Sam- 
uel L.  Clemens,  our  most  original  novelist ;  Walt  Whitman, 
our  greatest  poet.  Every  one  of  them  born  in  a  cabin  and 
mother  made — educated  in  the  little  school  of  the  home  and 
only  there — never  went  to  college  !  I  mention  this  not  in  dis- 
paragement of  the  college,  but  only  that  the  little  old  school 
of  the  home  shall  have  its  proper  credit. 


CHAPTER  III 
SPEECH  COMPOSITION 

LESSONS  41-43 

General  Preparation  for  Public  Speaking 

Tlius  far  we  have  been  considering,  primarily,  the 
delivery  of  subject-matter  that  was  composed  by  one 
other  than  the  speaker.  We  are  now  to  consider  orig- 
inal composition,  the  use  of  your  own  words  in  the 
expression  of  thought.  Of  course  you  have  had  prac- 
tice in  speech  composition  by  means  of  ordinary  con- 
versation, class  recitations,  and  perhaps  also  in  sim- 
ple oral  English  exercises  in  the  grades  below  the 
high  school.  Let  us  study  some  of  the  requirements 
for  the  sustained,  one-sided  conversation  incident  to 
public  speaking.  Let  us  suppose  that  you  have  to 
make  a  speech  or  address  upon  a  given  occasion. 
Your  purpose  may  be  to  inform,  to  convince,  or  to 
move  to  action ;  but  whether  it  be  any  or  all  of  these 
purposes,  all  kinds  of  speeches  have  certain  require- 
ments in  the  way  both  of  general  and  of  special  prep- 
aration. 

General  preparation  for  public  speaking  includes : 

1.   An  all-round  education. — It  might  be  said  that 

the  speaker  should  know  something  about  everything, 

113 


114  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

and  everything  about  tlie  subject  on  whicli  he  under- 
takes to  speak.  The  greater  his  stock  of  knowledge, 
tlie  greater  his  power,  for  every  branch  of  knowledge 
contributes  its  quota  to  his  stock  of  facts,  ideas,  and 
illustrations.  Speech  in  these  days  demands  that  a 
speaker  have  command  of  his  subject.  The  old  say- 
ing, "Beware  of  the  man  of  one  book,"  might  be 
paraphrased  thus  :  * '  Beware  of  the  man  who  knows 
his  subject  thoroughly."  And  a  speaker  must  not 
confine  his  studies  to  the  knowledge  found  in  books. 
He  must  know  the  people,  the  plain,  everyday,  aver- 
age man,  the  man  in  the  streets — his  condition,  his 
ideas,  his  notions,  his  prejudices.  The  speaker  must 
be  a  man  of  wide  sympathies.  One  can  not  convince 
or  persuade  men  unless  he  gets  their  point  of  view  as 
an  avenue  for  approaching  them.  The  speaker  must 
have  in  his  nature,  as  Beecher  puts  it,  "that  kindly 
sympathy  which  connects  him  with  his  fellow-men, 
and  which  so  makes  him  a  part  of  the  audience  which 
he  moves  that  his  smile  is  their  smile,  that  his  tear  is 
their  tear,  and  that  the  throb  of  his  heart  becomes  the 
throb  of  the  hearts  of  the  whole  assembly." 

2.  Collecting  speech  material.  —  The  intending 
speaker  should  early  form  the  habit  of  accumulating 
a  store  of  speech  material  which  may  be  drawn  upon 
for  various  subjects  and  occasions.  He  should  learn 
to  think  as  a  speaker  to  a  real  or  possible  audience. 
Experience  will  show,  for  example,  how  the  memoriz- 
ing of  good  declamations  can  be  utilized  with  advan- 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  115 

tage  as  illustrative  or  quoted  material  in  connection 
with  speeches  on  various  occasions.  Along  with  the 
habit  of  gathering  material  for  public  speech,  some 
system  of  note-taking  should  be  adopted,  for  next  to 
knowing  a  thing  is  to  know  where  to  find  it.  No  one 
can  carry  in  memory  all  the  data  that  sooner  or  later 
may  be  found  useful,  such  as  quotations,  statistics, 
facts,  and  references  to  books  and  periodicals.  The 
best  system  to  use  is  the  modern  card  catalogue.  Let 
the  notes  be  written  on  separate  cards  or  stiif  pieces 
of  paper  of  uniform  size,  each  marked  with  some 
appropriate  heading.  A  student  interested  in  public 
speaking  would  have,  for  example,  some  such  index 
guides  as : 


BIOGEAPHY 

HISTORY 

POLITICS 

EDUCATION 

LAW 

SOCIOLOGY 

GOVERNMENT 

Under  the  general  heading  of  Speech  Material 
would  come  some  such  headings  as : 

Facts  '  Anecdotes  Striking  Phrases 

Illustrations  Figures  of  Speech  Ideas 

Other  headings  may,  of  course,  be  added  from  time 
to  time,  the  system  allowing  ready  revision  and 
expansion.  By  the  use  of  such  a  plan  one  may  always 
have  his  notebook  at  hand  simply  by  carrying  with 
him  a  few  cards  or  slips  of  paper. 

3.  Acquiring  a  vocabulary. — Since  words  are  the 
tools  of  language,  it  is  obvious  that  the  greater  one's 


116  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

command  over  words,  the  better  his  equipment  as  a 
speaker.  The  speaker  should  make  a  systematic 
effort  to  increase  his  vocabulary,  particularly  by  ac- 
quiring the  synonyms  of  the  words  he  already  uses. 
The  public  speaker  needs  a  large  vocabulary,  not  for 
purposes  of  display  but  of  use.  Most  men  are  unable 
in  speaking  to  command  sufficient  words  to  express 
the  thought  clearly  and  effectively.  ''Why,  then,  do 
we  hesitate  to  swell  our  words  to  meet  our  needs  *?  It 
is  a  nonsense  question.  There  is  no  reason.  We  are 
simply  lazy ;  too  lazy  to  make  ourselves  comfortable. 
We  let  our  vocabularies  be  limited,  and  get  along 
rawly  without  the  refinements  of  human  intercourse, 
without  refinements  in  our  ovra  thoughts;  for 
thoughts  are  almost  as  dependent  on  words  as  words 
on  thoughts.  For  example,  all  exasperations  we  lump 
together  as  'aggravating,'  not  considering  whether 
they  may  not  rather  be  displeasing,  annoying,  offen- 
sive, disgusting,  irritating,  or  even  maddening,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  fact  that  in  correct  usage  'aggravat- 
ing' is  not  a  synonjTii  for  any  of  these.  .  .  .  Each 
word  presents  its  own  point  of  view,  discloses  a  spe- 
cial aspect  of  things,  reports  some  little  importance 
not  otherwise  conveyed,  and  so  contributes  its  small 
emancipation  to  our  tied-up  minds  and  tongues."^ 

4.    Developing  a  spirit  of  Social  Service. — Boys 
and  girls  who  reach  the  high  school  may  and  should 


1  Palmer,  "  Self -Cultivation  in  English.' 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  117 

look  forward  to  becoming  leaders  in  tlie  particular 
community  in  which  their  lot  is  cast.  Public  speaking 
is  a  prerequisite  for  such  leadership,  as  we  have 
already  seen.  But  the  point  now  is,  that  if  you  are 
to  become  good  American  citizens;  if,  to  use  Mr. 
Roosevelt's  phrase,  you  are  to  be  worth  your  salt, 
you  must  develop  a  civic  sense  and  have  a  real  desire 
to  assist  in  solving  the  social  and  governmental  prob- 
lems that  belong  to  your  particular  environment. 
The  World  War  has  not  only  intensified  these  prob- 
lems, but  has  also  pointed  out  weaknesses  in  our 
school  system  as  to  the  lack  of  due  training  for  cit- 
izenship. 

Questions  for  Review  and  Discussion 

I.  Let  the  members  of  the  class  determine  (a)  the  educa- 
tion needed  in  special  branches  of  study,  (b)  the  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  and  (c)  the  sources  for  gathering  speech 
material  in  order  properly  to  handle  the  following  subjects : 

(1)  The  Elective  System  of  Studies  in  High  Schools. 

(2)  Student  Self -Government. 

(3)  The  Benefits  and  Possible  Evils  of  Interscholastic 
Debating  and  Declamation  Contests. 

(4)  Health  Safeguards  Needed  in  this  Community. 

(5)  The  Cause  of  the  World  War  from  Germany's 
Viewpoint. 

(6)  The  World  War  as  a  Conflict  of  Ideals  and  Sys- 
tems. 

II.  For  an  exercise  in  vocabulary  building,  assign  to  each 
member  of  the  class  a  given  number  of  the  following  word- 
groups,  which  are  separated  by  semicolons,  and  let  each  pu- 


118  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

pil,  with  the  aid  of  a  dictionary  or  a  book  of  synoyms,  be 
able  to  explain  and  illustrate  the  differentiation  in  meaning 
in  each  case : 

Able,  qualified ;  access,  accession ;  admire,  like,  love ;  af- 
fect, effect;  aggravate,  irritate;  almost,  most;  alone,  only; 
alternative,  choice;  among,  between;  angry,  mad;  assert, 
contend ;  avocation,  vocation ;  bad,  baneful,  pernicious ;  bal- 
ance, remainder,  rest;  becoming,  comely,  decorous;  begin- 
ning, commencement,  inception;  bestow,  confer,  grant; 
blamable,  censurable,  reprehensible;  brave,  dauntless,  vali- 
ant ;  bring,  fetch ;  calling,  profession,  occupation ;  can,  may ; 
character,  reputation,  repute;  complement,  compliment; 
completeness,  completion ;  comprehend,  conceive,  apprehend ; 
continual,  continuous;  custom,  habit;  deceitful,  fallacious, 
fraudulent;  delusion,  illusion,  hallucination;  decided,  de- 
cisive ;  depot,  station ;  discovery,  invention ;  emigration,  im- 
migration; expect,  suppose,  suspect;  fear,  consternation; 
healthful,  healthy;  last,  latest;  lay,  lie;  learn,  teach;  ma- 
jority, plurality ;  nor,  or ;  occupation,  profession,  business ; 
owner,  possessor ;  part,  portion ;  passion,  emotion,  affection ; 
plead,  argue,  discuss ;  propose,  purpose ;  quotation,  citation, 
extract ;  recapitulate,  repeat,  enumerate ;  reason,  judgment, 
understanding;  residue,  rest;  resident,  occupant,  inhabi- 
tant; set,  sit;  shall,  will;  slander,  libel;  speech,  oration, 
harangue ;  statue,  statute ;  stay,  stop ;  summary,  abstract, 
epitome ;  synonymous,  identical,  tantamount ;  task,  work, 
toil ;  think,  guess,  reckon ;  testimony,  evidence,  proof ;  un- 
less, without ;  verdict,  judgment,  decision ;  voluntary,  un- 
constrained; want,  need,  indigence;  witty,  facetious,  hu- 
morous. 

III.  Let  the  members  of  the  class  have  a  free-for-all  dis- 
cussion of  this  subject :  Opportunities  in  this  Town  (or 
Neighborhood)  for  Community  Organization  and  Improve- 
ment. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  119 

LESSONS  44-55 

Special  Preparation  for  a  Particular  Occasion 

Suppose  now  that  you  liave  a  speech  or  address  to 
prepare  for  a  class  exercise  or  for  some  other  occa- 
sion. Assuming  that  you  have  a  time-limit  of  five, 
ten,  fifteen  or  thirty  minutes,  as  the  case  may  be,  and 
that  there  is  ample  time  for  preparation,  the  problem 
involves  consideration  of  these  four  steps :  ( 1 )  choos- 
ing a  subject,  (2)  collecting  material,  (3)  organizing 
the  material,  and  (4)  writing  the  speech. 

Many  occasions  will  prescribe  or  readily  suggest 
their  own  subjects.  But  supposing  the  choice  is  left 
to  the  speaker,  how  shall  a  decision  be  reached?  The 
question  involves  no  little  trouble  for  both  students 
and  teachers.  As  an  aid  in  solving  the  problem,  the 
following  directions  are  offered : 

1,  Choose  a  subject  of  personal  import  to  you. 
Unless  you  have  convictions  regarding  a  subject,  and 
a  definite  purpose  in  speaking  thereon,  how  can  you 
hope  to  influence  your  audience?  In  other  words,  a 
speaker  must  have,  as  we  say,  a  message;  and  there 
is  no  reason  why  this  may  not  be  the  case  with  stu- 
dents in  the  schools,  if  they  speak  on  subjects  within 
the  range  of  their  study  and  thought.  Don 't  be  think- 
ing so  much  of  something  to  say  as  preparing  to  say 
what  you  think.  This  has  been  termed,  ''Choice  by 
development. ' '  Instead  of  choosing  a  subject,  let  the 
subject  choose  you.     "I  somehow  couldn't  get  into 


120  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

my  subject  today,"  said  a  flabby-minded  young 
speaker.  "Do  you  know  the  reason!"  asked  his 
teacher.  **It  was  because  your  subject  never  got 
into  you." 

2.  Choose  a  subject  adapted  to  your  audience.  This 
very  obvious  requirement  is  constantly  disregarded, 
even  by  experienced  speakers;  audiences  are  often 
bored  by  the  most  inappropriate  themes.  It  there- 
fore behooves  the  speaker  to  learn  in  advance,  just  so 
far  as  possible,  the  character  and  interests  of  his 
audience.  You  cannot  command  your  hearers '  atten- 
tion unless  they  are  interested  in  what  you  have  to 
say.  A  given  subject  may  be  of  absorbing  interest  to 
you,  but  not  to  your  audience.  Again,  what  is  absorb- 
ing to  one  audience  would  be  dull  to  another ;  what  is 
interesting  at  one  time  is  not  at  another.  An  element 
of  freshness,  either  in  the  subject  itself  or  in  the 
method  of  treatment,  is  also  a  factor  in  the  problem 
of  interest.  In  these  and  other  ways  must  the  speaker 
fit  his  subject  to  his  audience. 

3.  Choose  a  subject  that  you  are  capable  of  hand- 
ling. Adaptability  applies  to  the  speaker  no  less 
than  to  his  audience.  Keep  within  the  range  of  your 
own  thought  and  powers.  Ask  yourself  if  there  are 
not  subjects  lying  in  the  field  of  your  studies  and 
experiences  on  which  you  can  speak  with  intelligence 
and  confidence.  The  average  aspirant  for  oratorical 
honors  in  school  contests  or  commencement  programs 
is  prone  to  dismiss  such  subjects  as  beneath  his  notice, 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  121 

and  to  choose  something  that  sounds  big  and  grand — 
such  as,  ''The  Message  of  the  Ages,"  of  which  he 
really  knows  nothing  and  which  might  possibly  do  for 
a  book  written  at  the  age  of  fifty.  This  tendency  of 
students  to  attempt  the  treatment  of  big,  w^eighty 
subjects  that  are  wholly  beyond  them,  thus  precluding 
the  possibility  of  any  original,  first-hand  treatment, 
has  brought  about  a  reaction  against  the  formal  ora- 
torical contests.  The  orations  delivered  on  such  occa- 
sions are  often  worse  than  no  training  for  real  life 
because  they  are,  in  the  words  of  Professor  Baker  of 
Harvard,  ''unreal  and  unindividual. " 

Gathering  material.  Given  a  subject  of  personal 
import  to  you,  and  adapted  both  to  your  audience  and 
to  your  own  abilities,  the  next  step  is  to  collate  the 
subject-matter.  But  this  does  not  mean  proceeding 
at  once  to  discover  what  others  have  said  on  the  sub- 
ject. Before  searching  for  the  thoughts  of  others, 
first  take  an  inventory  of  your  own  thoughts.  What 
do  you  know  or  think  about  your  subject?  Such  pre- 
liminary thinking  is  absolutely  essential  to  produce 
an  address  containing  any  degree  of  originality  or 
individuality.  In  your  reading  on  the  subject,  also — 
and  most  subjects  require  more  or  less  reading — do 
not  make  reading  a  substitute  for  thinking.  Any 
speech  worth  while  is  the  outgrowth  of  first-hand 
thought  and  study  of  the  subject  and  material.  This 
does  not  mean  that  reading  is  to  be  discouraged,  for 
* '  reading  maketh  the  full  man ' '  and  is  the  source  of 


122  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

most  of  our  knowledge  and  ideas.  Read  as  tlior- 
oughly  and  widely  as  the  subject  may  require,  but 
pass  the  material  through  the  crucible  of  your  own 
mind,  make  it  your  own,  and  thus  avoid  in  your  treat- 
ment a  mere  compilation  or  paraphrase. 

Organizing  the  material.  After  due  thought  and 
reading  on  your  subject,  the  central  theme  which  rep- 
resents the  main  purpose  of  your  speech  will  be 
evolved.  At  this  point  a  carefully  constructed  plan 
of  your  speech  should  be  made  in  outline  form,  and 
all  the  material  collected  must  be  fitted  into  this  out- 
line in  its  proper  order  and  place.  An  outline  or 
"brief"  will  save  much  ill-directed,  haphazard,  and 
wasted  labor  in  the  work  of  composition. 

The  main  divisions  of  an  outline  for  a  speech  will 
naturally  be:  (1)  Introduction,  (2)  Discussion,  and 
(3)  Conclusion — since  every  speech  must  needs  have 
a  beginning,  a  greater  or  less  continuance,  and  an 
ending.  Genung^  says  that  the  purpose  of  the  intro- 
duction is  to  set  forth  whatever  is  necessary  to  ex- 
plain the  subject ;  of  the  discussion,  whatever  is  neces- 
sary to  establish  the  subject;  and  of  the  conclusion, 
whatever  is  necessary  to  apply  the  subject.  This 
statement  assumes — what  is  usuallv  the  case — that  a 
speech,  as  distinguished  from  a  talk,  is  not  primarily 
narration,  or  description,  or  exposition,  but  aims  to 
convince  and  persuade  the  audience.    Keeping  this  in 


1  Practical  Ehetoric,  199. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  123 

mind,  tlie  introduction  should  gain  the  attention  of 
your  hearers  and  lead  them  to  understand  and  follow 
the  discussion  of  your  theme;  in  other  words,  get  on 
good  terms  with  your  audience  at  the  outset  and 
introduce  your  subject  so  as  to  incite  interest.  Ways 
of  doing  this  are  illustrated  in  the  introductions  con- 
tained in  the  exercises  that  follow. 

At  no  time  should  the  theme,  your  message,  be  lost 
sight  of,  and  the  conclusion  should  re-enforce  in  a 
brief,  telling  way  the  main  point  or  points  of  the 
speech  as  a  wdiole.  When  the  theme  demands  it,  tlie 
conclusion  may  properly  include  a  ^'hortatory  end- 
ing"— a  direct  appeal  for  a  certain  line  of  conduct  or 
action;  examples  will  be  found  in  the  Exercises. 

Withal  the  law  of  proportion  must  be  duly  ob- 
served. As  a  general  rule,  both  introduction  and 
conclusion  should  be  as  brief  as  possible.  Avoid  a 
discourse  that  is  all  head  and  tail,  with  no  appreciable 
body;  so  tliat  the  audience  is  asking,  *'Why  doesn't 
he  begin  for,"  Will  he  ever  stop  f ' '  Some  speeches, 
of  course,  require  little  or  no  introduction,  especially 
if  a  preceding  speaker  has  already  furnished  one. 

In  the  discussion  or  body  of  the  speech  the  theme 
must  of  course  be  developed  with  due  regard  to  the 
laws  of  unity,  coherence,  sequence  and  climax,  but  the 
first  and  final  impressions — the  introduction  and  the 
conclusion — are  places  of  the  greatest  strategic  im- 
portance. Many  a  speech  has  failed  by  reason  of  a 
bad  opening  or  a  weak  ending.     The  instructions 


124  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

issued  to  Four  Minute  Men  by  the  National  Commit- 
tee on  Public  Information  may  well  be  heeded  by  all 
speakers:  '* Begin  with  a  positive,  concrete  state- 
ment ;  tell  them  something  at  the  start.  .  .  .  Finish 
strong  and  sharp ;  the  butterfly  is  forgotten  as  soon 
as  he  departs,  but  you  recall  the  hornet  because  he 
ends  with  a  point. ' ' 

Writing  the  speech.  Regardless  of  the  method  of 
delivering  a  prepared  speech,  that  is,  whether  or  not 
it  is  memorized,  much  practice  in  w^riting  for  a  lis- 
tener, as  distinguished  from  a  reader,  is  indispensa- 
ble for  adequate  training  in  oral  English.  Practice  in 
written  composition  should  supplement  oral  composi- 
tion, for  the  process  of  reducing  one's  thoughts  to 
w^riting  conduces  to  orderliness,  exactness,  finish,  and 
power  over  words. 

With  the  outline  of  your  speech  before  you,  expand 
it  into  a  finished  composition  by  following  strictly  this 
capital  rule :  Write  as  you  icould  talk,  with  the  audi- 
ence always  in  mind.  The  observance  of  this  rule  by 
the  speech-writer  will  protect  him  from  many  pitfalls 
of  style.  The  best  speeches  talk,  even  as  you  read 
them.  The  essay  or  ''literary"  style  will  not  do  for 
speech  composition.  ''The  very  effectiveness  and 
success  of  a  speech  may  be  due  to  its  offenses  against 
the  strict  canons  of  literarv  criticism."  True,  the 
essentials  of  English  composition  that  you  have  stud- 
ied in  rhetoric — clearness,  unity,  sequence,  coherence, 
emphasis,  etc. — apply  also  to  speech  composition,  but 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  i25 


a 


the  test  question  for  a  speech  is  not,  ''Does  it  read 
well?"  but  rather,  "Does  it  speak  well?"  Let  us 
therefore  notice  certain  qualities  of  style  which 
should  be  cultivated  by  the  intending  speaker. 

First,  clearness  is  absolutely  necessary.  While  the 
absence  of  this  quality  in  written  discourse  is  a  fault, 
in  oral  discourse  it  is  fatal.  The  hearer,  unlike  the 
reader,  cannot  turn  back  and  review  a  sentence;  he 
must  grasp  its  meaning  when  it  is  spoken,  or  not  at 
all.  Hence  the  speaker's  diction  and  sentences 
should  conform  to  his  best  conversational  style;  the 
use  of  everyday  words  and  clear-cut  sentences  whose 
meaning  Avill  be  readily  grasped.  "Talk  to  the  sim- 
plest intelligence  in  your  audience;  you'll  hit  every- 
thing higher  up."  Long  sentences  may  at  times 
be  used — particularly  the  periodic  form — but  not 
twisted  and  jumbled  ones,  with  long  modifying  and 
qualifying  clauses.  If  you  need  to  qualify  a  state- 
ment, use  a  separate  sentence.  Use  as  many  sentences 
as  may  be  needed  to  make  the  audience  understand 
your  main  points :  iteration  is  more  allowable  in  a 
speech  than  in  an  essay.  An  important  idea  or  truth 
may  often  need  to  be  restated,  amplified,  illustrated, 
or  otherwise  reenforced — any  way  so  that  the  audi- 
ence gets  it.  Note,  for  example,  the  iteration  em- 
ployed by  the  Saviour  in  telling  His  parables  to  the 
common  people. 

Again,  the  use  of  figurative  language  and  illustra- 
tions— a  specific  instance  following  a  generalization, 


126  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

a  concrete  example  following  an  abstract  statement — 
aids  on  the  score  both  of  clearness  and  of  interest. 
And  first,  as  to  clearness.  Even  the  trained  mind 
cannot  follow  to  any  great  length  a  speaker  who 
deals  only  in  abstractions  and  generalizations,  and 
the  untrained  mind  soon  becomes  utterly  lost.  Many 
an  audience  has  been  won  by  a  single  illustration  or 
an  anecdote  aptly  used  and  well  told,  when  an  ab- 
stract statement  would  utterly  fail  to  reach  them. 
You  must  hold  your  hearers,  and  in  order  to  do  this 
you  must  appeal,  not  only  to  their  intellect,  but  also 
to  their  imagination  and  their  feelings.  The  hearers 
want  food,  but  they  w^ant  it  well  flavored  and  sea- 
soned. A  little  spice,  too,  in  the  way  of  humor,  so 
that  it  has  some  point,  is  excellent  to  relieve  the 
monotony. 

Colonel  Higginson  gives  as  part  of  his  fifth  rule 
for  speech-making:  "Plan  beforehand  for  at  least 
one  good  illustration  or  anecdote  under  each  head  of 
your  speech. ' '  This  rule  every  beginner  should  fol- 
low literally.  ' '  Mankind  can  be  taught  only  by  exam- 
ple," Burke  once  said,  ''and  that  they  w^ill  learn  at 
no  other  school. ' ' 

Further,  the  use  of  figures  is  pleasing,  for  even  the 
most  matter-of-fact  mind  is  not  insensible  to  the 
beauty  of  imagery.  But  pictures  and  comparisons 
must  not,  of  course,  be  used  simply  because  they 
please  the  fancy,  and  this  caution  the  high-school 
orator  needs  especially  to  heed.    If  a  student  in  writ- 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  127 

ing  a  speecli  aims  to  weave  in  all  the  fine  things  he 
can  think  of,  he  may  be  sure  that  he  is  making  a  wrong 
use  of  figures,  for  he  is  stressing  expression  above 
thought.  However,  when  figurative  language  really 
does  illuminate  the  thought,  do  not  hesitate  to  use  it. 

Unity  is  another  quality  that  sliould  be  stressed  in 
speech  composition.  Every  worth-while  speech,  as 
M^e  have  seen,  nmst  have  some  definite  purpose. 
Unity  means  that  every  part  of  the  discourse  shall 
contribute  to  the  accomplishment  of  such  purpose,  so 
that  a  definite  impress  of  the  speaker's  main  points 
or  theme  is  made  upon  the  minds  of  the  auditors. 
Make  sure  that  your  audience  gets  from  your  speech 
at  least  one  good  idea.  After  listening  to  a  speech, 
if  you  hear  the  remark  (as  you  often  do),  ''That 
speech  sounded  well,  but  what  was  he  driving  at?" 
you  may  be  sure  it  w^as  a  poor  effort. 

A  good  speech  should  also  be  characterized  by 
proper  sequence  and  movement.  That  is,  the  speaker 
sliould  move  onward  toward  his  object  by  a  straight 
course,  not  retracing  his  steps  to  start  over  again, 
not  wandering  off  on  to  side  paths,  not  jumping  over 
or  going  around  obstacles  in  his  path  so  that  th\». 
audience  loses  the  trail,  but,  keeping  his  eyes  on  his 
objective,  he  should  move  along  toward  the  end 
desired  just  as  rapidly  as  the  audience  can  follow 
him,  and  when  he  has  brought  the  audience  with  him 
to  the  end  of  the  previously  mapped  out  course — 
stop.     Now,  this  figurative  statement  has  manifold 


128  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

applications,  b;it  the  main  point  for  notice  now  is, 
that  the  writing  itself,  once  it  is  taken  up,  should 
move  along  without  undue  rumination  or  ' '  wool  gath- 
ering," just  as  the  speech  must  when  it  is  delivered. 
Excessive  care  for  style  may  w^ell  be  disregarded  in 
the  first  draft ;  this  may  receive  due  attention  in  the 
revision.  In  writing,  then,  keep  your  mind  and  emo- 
tions keenly  alive;  visualize  your  audience  and  aim 
directly  at  it.  Composing  under  the  impetus  of  an 
impelling  purpose  conduces  not  only  to  movement 
and  force,  but  also  to  the  speaking  style — direct, 
strong  talk. 

Still  other  qualities  of  style  that  demand  special 
attention  in  speech  composition  are  emphasis  and 
climax.  The  law  of  emphasis  coincides  with  that  of 
unity  in  keeping  uppermost  in  mind  the  purpose  of  a 
speech;  but  while  unity  has  to  do  with  grouping, 
emphasis  is  concerned  with  fjlacing  and  stressing. 
The  ideal  speech  gradually  grows  in  strength  until 
the  climax  is  reached  at  the  very  close ;  hence,  empha- 
sis and  climax  are  named  together.  In  order  to  leave 
a  strong  final  impression  on  the  mind  of  a  hearer,  the 
very  conclusion  of  a  speech  or  paragraph  or  sentence 
should  be  the  strongest  part.  Further  on  the  score 
of  emphasis,  elaboration  and  iteration  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  speech  should  bear  directly  upon  some 
main  point  or  controlling  idea  in  the  discourse,  and 
matters  of  only  indirect  bearing  should  be  briefly 
treated.     Almost  everyone  has  heard  speakers  who 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  129 

have  violated  this  rule.  The  speaker  even  more  than 
the  writer  must  see  large  things  large  and  small 
things  small. 

In  addition  to  the  desirability  of  composing  a 
si^eech  so  that  climaxes  are  reached  in  the  main  divi- 
sions and  at  the  very  close  of  the  speech,  it  should  be 
noted  that  the  element  of  suspense  in  speech  composi- 
tion is  often  a  great  aid  to  climax ;  that  is,  to  arouse 
the  curiosity  of  the  audience  and  reserve  your  main 
point  until  the  climax  is  reached.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
periodic  sentence,  wherein  the  main  idea  or  conclu- 
sion is  not  expressed  until  the  very  close,  is  distinc- 
tively an  oratorical  form  of  sentence  structure.  It 
should  be  added  that  suspense  does  not  mean  that  the 
audience,  as  a  general  rule,  should  be  kept  in  igno- 
rance of  the  main  points  of  a  discourse.  It  means 
rather  that  suspense  may  be  serviceable  in  enforcing 
these  points. 

Finally,  direct  discourse  should  be  much  more  fre- 
quently employed  in  speech  composition  than  in  the 
essay.  "We  have  already  discussed  directness  with 
reference  to  the  manner  of  delivery,  the  need  of  grap- 
pling with  the  audience  so  that  each  and  every  lis- 
tener feels  that  you  have  a  personal  message  for  him. 
This  wall  be  greatly  aided  by  maintaining  constantly, 
while  writing  a  speech,  the  audience-sense,  as  previ- 
ously urged,  and  this  audience-sense,  in  turn,  will 
lead  you  fri^quently  to  use  the  man-to-man  style  of 
direct  address,  such  as  the  rhetorical  forms  of  inter- 


130  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

rogation  in  place  of  the  declarative  sentence,  tlie 
second  person  in  place  of  the  third,  apostrophe  and 
personification,  and  the  direct  quotation  rather  than 
the  indirect. 

The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  principal  matters 
that  demand  attention  in  relation  to  speech  compo- 
sition. A  full  treatment  of  this  subject  would  require 
a  book  by  itself.  Attention  is  now  called  to  one  other 
topic.  Style  in  composition  is  relative  not  alone  to 
the  individual  but  also  to  the  subject-matter;  so  that 
every  speech  has,  Ave  might  say,  a  style  of  its  own, 
depending  upon  its  purpose.  If  you  wish  simply  to 
inform  your  hearers,  or  to  reason  with  them,  you  are 
addressing  primarily  their  intelligence.  If  you  de- 
sire to  persuade  them,  to  impel  to  action,  immediate 
or  remote,  you  must  appeal  to  the  springs  of  action 
which  are  termed  ^'motives,"  and  such  appeal  is  the 

To  ilie  Teacher:  At  this  stage  of  the  work,  -when  the  students  be- 
gin systematic  practice  in  complete  self-expression,  it  is  suggested  that 
the  class  be  organized  into  a  literary  society,  and  that  all  class  exer- 
cises be  conducted  as  programs  of  such  society.  The  suggested  plan  Ig 
based  on  both  observation  and  experience.  The  study  and  practice  of 
Extempore  Speaking  and  Debating,  treated  in  Chapters  IV  and  V, 
will  lend  themselves  readily  to  this  plan.  Let  the  students  themselves 
take  all  the  necessary  steps  in  organizing  the  society:  a  temporary 
organization,  the  presentation  and  discussion  of  a  resolution  to  or- 
ganize "The  High  School  Literary  Society"   (or  other  desired 

name),  the  appointment  of  a  Committee  on  Permanent  Organization, 
the  adoption  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws 
of  the  society,  based  on  the  report  of  such  Committee.  (See  Appen- 
dix IV.)  In  this  connection,  encourage  the  study  and  practice  of 
parliamentary  procedure  by  designating  a  minority  of  the  class  to 
oppose    such   organization,   assigning   to   individual    members   of   the 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  ]31 

main  characteristic  of  speech  that  we  call  oratory. 
But  an  audience  of  average  intelligence  will  not  be 
moved  by  appeals  to  their  emotions  unless  the  basis 
is  laid  in  an  appeal  to  reason.  Emotional  appeals,  to 
be  effective,  must  grow  out  of  appeals  to  the  under- 
standing. Men  are  not  moved  by  telling  them  what 
they  ought  to  be.  Therefore,  attempt  oratorical 
flights  only  from  a  ground-work  of  facts  and  reason- 
ing.   This  applies  particularly  to  debating. 

Again,  whenever  the  purpose  of  a  speech  requires 
an  appeal  to  the  emotions,  aim  at  those  motives  which 
will  reach  the  particular  audience.  However,  no  self- 
respecting  speaker  will  ever  appeal  to  low  or  base 
motives.  Magnify  your  theme,  and  appeal  to  the 
higher  range  of  motives  that  lie  dormant  in  almost 
any  audience.  The  real  orator,  indeed,  is  thereby  an 
orator  because  he  is  a  leader.     *'If  you  would  lift 

class  the  duty  of  arguing  for  or  against  the  main  resolution,  of 
making  specific  motions  whenever  opportunity  offers,  such  as  to  ad- 
journ, to  lay  on  the  table,  to  reconsider,  etc.  (See  Appendix  V.) 
By  this  plan  the  work  is  made  more  vital  and  real  for  the  students, 
and  initiative  and  a  sense  of  responsibility  for  its  success  are  en- 
couraged. Thus  let  the  students  conduct  their  own  exercises,  the  teacher 
aiding  in  planning  the  programs  and  in  serving  as  ex-offlcio  critic. 

In  perfecting  a  class  organization  as  above  recommended,  the  model 
Constitution  and  By-Laws  given  in  Appendix  IV  may  be  suggestive, 
but  the  constitution  for  a  class  organization  should  usually  be  in 
simplified  form  and  should  include  the  following  standing  rules : 

1.  Officers  shall  be  changed  frequently. 

2.  This  class  shall  discuss  at  its  meetings  serious  questions  only. 

3.  In  the  planning  of  programs  and  settling  matters  in  dispute,  the 

teacher  shall  have  final  authority. 


132  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

me,"     says    Emerson,   "you   must  be    on   Mgliei' 
ground. '* 

EXEECISES 

A.  Let  each  student  choose  a  subject  for  a  speech  to  the 
class,  and  be  prepared  to  show  how  it  conforms  to  the  direc- 
tions given  in  the  text. 

B.  Of  the  two  following  subjects,  discuss  the  advantages 
in  form  of  statement  of  the  second  over  the  first :  (1)  Char- 
acter, (2)  The  Opportunities  for  Character-Building  Af- 
forded in  this  School. 

C.  Criticize  the  following  oration  subjects,  taken  from 
high-school  programs.  Try  to  restate  each  subject  so  that 
it  would  be  suitable  for  a  five-minute  speech  by  a  high- 
school  student : 

1.  Municipal  Problems, 

2.  The  Occident  and  the  Orient. 

3.  The  Heart,  the  Source  of  Power. 

4.  America 's  Providential  Origin  and  Destiny. 

5.  The  World  War. 

D.  Point  out  the  merits  in  the  following  Introductions : 

1.  "There  was  a  South  of  slavery  and  secession;  that 
South  is  dead.  There  is  a  South  of  union  and  freedom ;  that 
South,  thank  God,  is  living,  breathing,  growing  every  hour." 
These  words,  delivered  from  the  immortal  lips  of  Benjamin 
H.  Hill,  at  Tammany  Hall  in  1866,  true  then,  and  truer 
now,  I  shall  make  my  text  to-night. — Henry  W.  Grady, 
New  South  Speech. 

2.  In  facing  this  audience,  there  are  two  reasons  why  I 
am  embarrassed :  one  is,  that  there  is  so  much  to  attract  the 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  133 

eye,  and  the  other  is,  that  it  distracts  the  thought.     I  am 
reminded  by  contrast  of  a  limerick  which  runs  as  follows : 

For  beauty  I  am  not  a  star. 

There  are  others  more  handsome  by  far, 

But  my  face,  I  don't  mind  it 

For  I  am  behind  it, 
It's  the  people  in  front  that  I  jar. 

However,  I  venture  to  offer  some  suggestions  on  the  sub- 
ject assigned  me,  "Business  and  Politics." — Woodrow  Wil- 
son, Education  and  Trade,  New  York,  1912. 

3.  In  speaking  to  you,  men  of  the  greatest  city  of  the  West, 
men  of  the  State  which  gave  to  the  country  Lincoln  and 
Grant,  men  who  pre-eminently  and  distinctly  embody  all 
that  is  most  American  in  the  American  character,  I  wish  to 
preach,  not  the  doctrine  of  ignoble  ease,  but  the  doctrine  of 
the  strenuous  life,  the  life  of  toil  and  effort,  of  labor  and 
strife,  to  preach  that  highest  form  of  success  which  comes, 
not  to  the  man  who  desires  mere  easy  peace,  but  to  the  man 
who  does  not  shrink  from  danger,  from  hardship,  or  from 
bitter  toil,  and  who  out  of  these  wins  the  splendid  ultimate 
triumph. — Roosevelt,  ''The  Strenuous  Life." 

4.  We  are  fortunate  that  we  behold  this  day.  The  heav- 
ens bend  benignly  over;  the  earth  blossoms  with  renewed 
life ;  and  our  hearts  beat  joyfully  together  with  one  emotion 
of  filial  gratitude  and  patriotic  exultation.  Citizens  of  a 
great,  free,  and  prosperous  country,  w^e  come  hither  to 
honor  the  men,  our  fathers,  wiio,  on  this  spot  and  upon  this 
day,  a  hundred  years  ago,  struck  the  first  blow  in  the  contest 
which  made  that  country  independent.  Here,  beneath  the 
hills  they  trod,  by  the  peaceful  river  on  whose  shores  they 
dwelt,  amid  the  fields  that  they  sowed  and  reaped,  proudly 
recalling  their  virtue  and  their  valor,  we  come  to  tell  their 


134  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

story,  to  try  ourselves  by  their  lofty  standard  to  know  if  we 
are  their  worthy  children,  and,  standing  reverently  where 
they  stood  and  fought  and  died,  to  swear  before  God  and 
each  other,  in  the  words  of  him  upon  whom  in  our  day  the 
spirit  of  the  Revolutionary  fathers  visibly  descended,  that 
government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people, 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth. — Curtis,  Oration  at  the  Cen- 
tennial Celebration,  Concord,  Mass. 

5.  I  have  witnessed  the  extraordinary  scenes  of  this  con- 
vention wi-th  deep  solicitude.  Nothing  touches  my  heart 
more  quickly  than  a  tribute  of  honor  to  a  great  and  noble 
character ;  but  as  I  sat  in  my  seat  and  witnessed  this  demon- 
stration, this  assemblage  seemed  to  me  a  human  ocean  in 
tempest.  I  have  seen  the  sea  lashed  into  fury  and  tossed 
into  spray,  and  its  grandeur  moves  the  soul  of  the  dullest 
man ;  but  I  remember  that  it  is  not  the  billows,  but  the  calm 
level,  of  the  sea,  from  which  all  heights  and  depths  are 
measured.  When  the  storm  has  passed,  and  the  hour  of 
calm  settles  on  the  ocean,  when  the  sunlight  bathes  its  peace- 
ful surface,  then  the  astronomer  and  surveyor  take  the  level 
from  which  they  measure  all  terrestrial  heights  and  depths. 
— Garfield,  Speech  in  the  Bepiiblican  National  Convention, 
Chicago,  June,  1880. 

6.  It  is  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence  to  me,  per- 
sonally, whether  I  speak  here  tonight  or  not.  But  one  thing 
is  very  certain,  if  you  do  permit  me  to  speak  here  tonight, 
you  will  hear  very  plain  talking.  You  will  not  find  me  to 
be  a  man  that  dared  to  speak  about  Great  Britain  three 
thousand  miles  off,  and  then  is  afraid  to  speak  to  Great 
Britain  when  he  stands  on  her  shores.  And  if  I  do  not  mis- 
take the  tone  and  temper  of  Englishmen,  they  had  rather 
have  a  man  who  opposes  them  in  a  manly  way  than  a  sneak 
that  agrees  with  them  in  an  unmanly  way.     Now,  if  I  can 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  I35 

carry  you  with  me  by  sound  convictions,  I  shall  be  im- 
mensely glad;  but  if  I  cannot  carry  you  with  me  by  facts 
and  sound  arguments,  I  do  not  wish  you  to  go  with  me  at 
all ;  and  all  that  I  ask  is  simply  fair  play. — Heni-y  Ward 
Beecher,  Speech  at  Liverpool. 

E.  Likewise,  discuss  the  merits  of  each  of  the  fol- 
lowing as  a  type  of  the  conclusion  of  a  speech : 

1.  When  I  consider  O'Connell's  personal  disinterested- 
ness— his  rare,  brave  fidelity  to  every  cause  his  principles 
covered,  no  matter  how  unpopular  or  how  embarrassing  to 
his  main  purpose;  that  clear,  far-reaching  vision  and  true 
heart  which,  on  most  moral  and  political  questions,  set  him 
so  much  ahead  of  his  times;  his  eloquence,  almost  equally 
effective  in  the  courts,  in  the  senate,  and  before  the  masses ; 
that  sagacity  which  set  at  naught  the  malignant  vigilance 
of  the  whole  imperial  bar,  watching  thirty  years  for  a  mis- 
step ;  when  I  remember  that  he  invented  his  tools,  and  then 
measure  his  limited  means  with  his  vast  success,  bearing  in 
mind  its  nature;  when  I  see  the  sobriety  and  moderation 
with  which  he  used  his  measureless  power,  and  the  lofty, 
generous  purpose  of  his  whole  life — I  am  ready  to  affirm 
that  he  was,  all  things  considered,  the  greatest  man  the 
Irish  race  ever  produced. — Wendell  Phillips,  Eulogy  of 
Daniel  O'Connell. 

2.  "We  must  incorporate  the  Puritan  spirit  in  our  lives, 
and  determine  that  no  assault  or  pressure,  of  person  or  of 
government,  of  power  or  of  law,  shall  ever  induce  us  to 
violate  Conscience.  We  cannot  avoid  these  duties  which 
are  on  us.  The  Past  impels ;  the  Future  summons,  God 
make  us  mediators  between  ages  of  planting,  and  ages  of 
fruitage.  Deep  calleth  for  us  unto  deep ;  those  early  Col- 
onies, these  coming  States !  We  are  heirs  to  a  great  and 
costly  legacy  of  valor  and  of  virtue.    The  blood  in  our  veins 


136  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

has  flowed  to  us  from  men  of  unusual  courage,  foresight, 
faith.  For  us  was  the  wise  and  heroic  life  of  those  from 
whom  the  Pilgrim  came,  watched  over  by  their  love,  and 
followed  by  their  prayers.  For  us  was  the  large  modera- 
tion of  Winthrop,  and  his  sterling  sagacity;  for  us,  the 
rugged  energy  of  Dudley ;  the  piety  of  Carver,  Bradford, 
Wilson ;  for  us,  the  beautiful  grace  of  Lady  Johnson ;  for 
us,  the  spirit  that  looked  death  in  the  face  from  the  clear, 
bright  brow  of  Henry  Vane !  A  cloud  of  witnesses  gathers 
around  us,  as  we  stand  here.  Those  thousand  graves,  among 
distant  hills,  should  be  each  one  the  spring  of  an  influence 
shooting  up  in  our  hearts  with  irrepressible  energy.  And 
they  commit  us,  each  one  who  has  sprung  from  the  breast 
of  New  England,  to  the  vital  appropriation,  and  the  wide 
propagation,  of  those  principles  and  that  spirit  which  be- 
longed to  the  Fathers. — Storrs,  Oration  on  the  Puritans. 

3.  It  is  likely  that  I  will  not  again  see  Bostonians  as- 
sembled together.  I  therefore  want  to  take  this  occasion 
to  thank  you,  and  my  excellent  friends  of  last  night  and 
those  friends  who  accompanied  us  this  morning,  for  all 
that  you  have  done  for  us  since  we  have  been  in  your  city, 
and  to  say  that  whenever  any  of  you  come  South  just  speak 
your  name,  and  remember  that  Boston  or  Massachusetts  is 
the  watchword,  and  we  will  meet  you  at  the  gates. 

"The  monarch  may  forget  the  crown 
That  on  his  head  so  late  hath  been ; 
The  bridegroom  may  forget  the  bride 
Was  made  his  own  but  yester  e'en; 
The  mother  may  forget  the  babe 

That  smiled  so  sweetly  on  her  knee ; 
But  forget  thee  will  I  ne'er,  Glencairn, 
And  all  that  thou  hast  done  for  me." 
— Grady,  Speech  in  Boston,  before  the  Bay  State  Cluh,  1889. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  I37 

4.  I  can  conceive  a  national  destiny  surpassing  the  glo- 
ries of  the  present  and  the  past — a  destiny  which  meets 
the  responsibilities  of  today  and  measures  up  to  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  future.  Behold  a  Republic  resting  securely 
upon  the  foundation  stone  quarried  by  revolutionary  patri- 
ots from  the  mountain  of  eternal  truth.  .  .  .  Behold 
a  Republic  in  which  civil  and  religious  liberty  stimulates 
all  to  earnest  endeavor,  and  in  which  the  law  restrains  every 
hand  uplifted  for  a  neighbor's  injury — a  Republic  in  which 
every  citizen  is  a  sovereign,  but  in  which  no  one  cares  to 
wear  a  crown.  Behold  a  Republic  standing  erect  while 
empires  all  around  are  bowed  beneath  the  weight  of  their 
own  armaments — a  Republic  whose  flag  is  loved  while  other 
flags  are  only  feared.  Behold  a  Republic  increasing  in  pop- 
ulation, in  wealth,  in  strength,  and  in  influence,  solving  the 
problems  of  civilization  and  hastening  the  coming  of  a  uni- 
versal brotherhood — a  Republic  which  shakes  thrones  and 
dissolves  aristocracies  by  its  silent  example,  and  gives  light 
and  inspiration  to  those  who  sit  in  darkness.  Behold  a 
Republic  gradually  but  surely  becoming  the  supreme  factor 
in  the  world's  progress  and  the  accepted  arbiter  of  the 
world's  disputes — a  Republic  whose  history,  like  the  path 
of  the  just,  "is  as  the  shining  light  that  shineth  more  and 
more  unto  the  perfect  day." — Bryan,  in  his  reply  to  the 
Notification  Committee,  Campaign  of  1900. 

5.  No  royal  governor,  indeed,  sits  in  yon  stately  capital, 
no  hostile  fleet  for  many  a  year  has  vexed  the  waters  of 
our  coasts,  nor  is  any  army  but  our  own  ever  likely  to  tread 
our  soil.  Not  such  are  our  enemies  today.  They  do  not 
come,  proudly  stepping  to  the  drumbeat,  with  bayonets 
flashing  in  the  morning  sun.  But  wherever  party  spirit 
shall  strain  the  ancient  guaranties  of  freedom;  or  bigotry 
and  ignorance  shall  lay  their  fatal  hands  on  education ;  or 


138  ORAL  ENGLISH  'AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

the  arrogance  of  caste  shall  strike  at  equal  rights;  or  cor- 
ruption shall  poison  the  very  springs  of  national  life, — 
there,  Minute  Men  of  Liberty,  are  your  Lexington  Green 
and  Concord  Bridge.  And  as  you  love  your  country  and 
your  kind,  and  would  have  your  children  rise  up  and  call 
you  blessed,  spare  not  the  enemy.  Over  the  hills,  out  of 
the  earth,  down  from  the  clouds,  pour  in  resistless  might. 
Fire  from  every  rock  and  tree,  from  door  and  window,  from 
hearthstone  and  chamber.  Hang  upon  his  flank  from 
morn  till  sunset,  and  so,  through  a  land  blazing  with  holy 
indignation,  hurl  the  hordes  of  ignorance  and  corruption 
and  injustice  back, — back  in  utter  defeat  and  ruin. — Curtis, 
Concord  Oration. 

F.  With  reference  to  speech  composition,  point  out 
the  merits  or  faults  of  style  as  illustrated  in  the  fol- 
lowing extracts : 

1.  The  enemy  is  now  hovering  on  our  borders,  preparing 
to  press  the  knife  to  our  throats,  to  devastate  our  fields,  to 
quarter  themselves  in  our  houses,  and  to  devour  our  poultry  ! 

2.  Great  ideas  travel  slowly,  and  for  a  time  noiselessly, — 
as  the  gods  whose  feet  were  shod  with  wool. 

3.  The  harvest  which  the  present  government  has  sown 
is  already  coming  home  to  roost. 

4.  The  really  great  orator  shines  like  the  sun,  making  you 
think  much  of  the  things  he  is  speaking  of ;  the  second-best 
shines  like  the  moon,  making  you  think  much  of  him  and  his 
eloquence. — Whately. 

5.  An  illustration  is  a  window  in  an  argument,  it  lets  in 
light. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  I39 

6.  Use  such  language  as  the  people  can  understand ;  but 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  gold  in  your  sentences  may  not 
be  burnished ;  the  steel  is  no  less  strong  because  it  is  polished. 

7.  He  is  the  best  orator  who  can  turn  men's  ears  into 
eyes. — Arabian  Proverb. 

8.  We  leave  to  Greece  her  glory,  to  Rome  her  grandeur, 
to  every  land  its  choicest  blessings.  But  today  there  is  a 
filial  feast.  We  behold  New  England  clothed  in  her  spark- 
ling snow,  crowned  with  her  evergreen  pine;  the  glory  of 
her  brow  is  justice,  the  splendor  of  her  eye  is  liberty,  and 
her  abundant  bosom  shall  nourish  endless  generations. — 
George   Williani   Curtis. 

9.  As  the  legend  runs.  Saint  Hubert  died  and  was  buried. 
A  green  branch  lying  on  his  breast  was  buried  with  him; 
and  when,  at  the  end  of  a  hundred  years,  his  grave  was 
opened,  the  good  man's  body  was  dissolved  into  dust,  but 
the  fair  branch  had  kept  its  perennial  green.  So  the  advo- 
cates of  free  speech  shall  die  and  be  buried,  and  their  laurels 
be  buried  with  them.  But  when  the  next  generation,  wise, 
just,  and  impartial,  shall  make  inquiry  for  the  heroes,  the 
prophets,  and  princely  souls  of  this  present  age,  long  after 
their  bones  are  ashes  their  laurels  shall  abide  in  imperish- 
able green, — Tilton. 

10.  It  was  at  this  moment,  when  the  cloud  came  down 
close  to  earth,  that  O'Connell,  then  a  young  lawyer  just 
admitted  to  the  bar,  flung  himself  in  front  of  his  country- 
men, and  begged  them  to  make  one  grand  effort.  The  hier- 
archy of  the  Church  disowned  him.  They  said,  "We  have 
seen  every  attempt  lead  always  up  to  the  scaffold;  we  are 
not  willing  to  risk  another  effort."  The  peerage  of  the 
island  repudiated  him.    They  said,  ''We  have  struggled  and 


140  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING  , 

bled  for  a  half  dozen  centuries ;  it  is  better  to  sit  down  eon- 
tent. "  Alone,  a  young  man  without  office,  without  wealth, 
without  renown,  he  flung  himself  in  front  of  the  people,  and 
asked  for  a  new  effort.  .  .  .  O'Connell  was  brave,  saga- 
cious, eloquent;  but,  more  than  all,  he  was  a  statesman, 
for  he  gave  to  Ireland's  own  keeping  the  key  of  her  future. 
As  Lord  Bacon  marches  down  the  centuries,  he  may  lay  one 
hand  on  the  telegraph  and  the  other  on  the  steam  engine, 
and  say,  ' '  These  are  mine ;  for  I  taught  you  how  to  study 
Nature."  In  a  similar  case,  as  shackle  after  shackle  falls 
from  Irish  limbs,  O'Connell  may  say,  "This  victory  is 
mine;  for  I  taught  you  the  method,  and  I  gave  you  the 
arms. ' ' — Wendell  Phillips. 

11.  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention,  in  the  name  of  the 
great  Republic,  the  only  republic  that  ever  existed  upon 
this  earth ;  in  the  name  of  all  her  defenders  and  of  all  her 
supporters;  in  the  name  of  all  her  soldiers  living;  in  the 
name  of  all  her  soldiers  who  died  upon  the  field  of  battle. 
.  .  .  Illinois  nominates  for  the  next  President  of  this 
country  that  prince  of  parliamentarians,  that  leader  of  lead- 
ers— James  G.  Blane. — Ingersoll. 

12.  It  was  only  a  little  river,  almost  a  brook ;  it  was  called 
the  Yser.  One  could  talk  from  one  side  to  the  other  with- 
out raising  one's  voice,  and  the  birds  could  fly  over  it  with 
one  sweep  of  their  wings.  And  on  the  two  banks  there 
were  millions  of  men,  the  one  turned  toward  the  other,  eye 
to  eye.  But  the  distance  which  separated  them  was  greater 
than  the  stars  in  the  sky;  it  was  the  distance  which  sepa- 
rates right  from  injustice. 

The  ocean  is  so  great  that  the  sea  gulls  do  not  dare  to 
cross  it.  During  seven  days  and  seven  nights  the  great 
steamships  of  America,  going  at  full  speed,  drive  through  the 
deep  waters  before  the  lighthouses  of  France  come  into 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  141 

view ;  but  from  one  side  to  the  other  hearts  are  touching, — ■ 
Letter  of  a  French  Girl  to  an.  American  Student. 

G.  By  the  use  of  an  anecdote,  story  or  a  specific 
example,  make  the  following  statements  concrete : 

1.  The  student  who  cheats  in  an  examination  only  cheats 
himself. 

2.  The  essential  things  in  public  speaking  are  natural- 
ness and  earnestness. 

3.  Circumstances  alter  cases. 

4.  Look  before  you  leap. 

5.  Variety  is  the  spice  of  life. 

6.  America  is  a  land  of  opportunity. 

7.  Think  before  you  act  and  think  straight. 

8.  Think  before  you  speak. 

9.  When  the  occasion  comes  be  ready  for  the  occasion. 

10.  A  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient. 

11.  What  is  worth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing  well. 

12.  Never  put  off  till  tomorrow  what  can  be  done  today. 

H.  Take  the  general  subject  of  School  Problems, 
and  let  each  member  of  the  class  choose  a  particular 
subject  applicable  to  his  or  her  school,  the  discussion 
of  the  problem  and  its  solution  to.  be  presented  in  a 
five-minute  speech  (about  six  hundred  words).  Write 
the  speech  in  full  and  hand  in  w^ith  the  outline  for 
criticism  and  suggestion  both  by  the  teacher  and  the 
class. 

I.  Deliver  the  speeches  prescribed  in  Exercise  4 
in  a  series  of  class  (or  society)  oratoricals  until  each 
student  has  had  an  appearance.    For  this  purpose  a 


142  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

large  class  might  in  some  cases  meet  in  two  or  more 
sections,  with  a  responsible  chairman  for  each.  Let 
the  members  of  the  class  here  again  cooperate  with 
the  teacher  in  offering  criticism  and  suggestions,  as 
was  suggested  in  the  preceding  chapter  with  refer- 
ence to  declamation.  Corresponding  to  the  score 
card  for  grading  a  declamation  (page  93)  the  fol- 
lowing blank  outline  may  be  used  in  grading  an  origi- 
nal speech. 

Score  Card  for  Grading  an  Original  Speech 
I.     subject-matter 

1.  Subject  adapted  to  speaker  and  occasion: 

2.  Organization : 

3.  Composition : 

II.      DELIVERY  • 

1.  By  Voice : 

2.  By  Action : 

III.     general  effect  upon  the  audience 

(Record  your  estimate  of  the  effort  as  a  whole  by  grading 
ou  the  basis  of  100  as  perfect.) 


LESSONS   56-66 

Types  of  Speeches  for  Various  Occasions 

Treatises  on  oratory,  both  ancient  and  modern, 
give  various  classifications  embracing  all  forms  of 
public  address.    For  our  purpose,  we  shall  here  disre- 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  143 

gard  those  forms  belonging  to  the  professions,  such 
as  the  lawyer,  the  preacher,  or  the  legislator,  and 
consider  the  f oUoAving  as  types  of  speeches  for  spe- 
cial occasions  which  the  student,  as  well  as  the  man 
of  atfairs,  may  be  called  on  to  deliver.  Other  types 
are  mentioned  in  the  appended  Exercises. 

The  oration. — An  oration  has  been  defined  as  *'a 
formally  prepared  and  relatively  elaborate  discourse, 
wherein  persuasion  is  the  ultimate  object  and  effect." 
A  short  speech  can  rarely  rise  to  the  dignity  of  an 
oration.  Further,  the  old-time  oration  is  in  less 
demand  today  than  formerly.  It  survives  in  those 
occasions  where  an  unusually  important  event  is  to 
be  celebrated,  such  as  the  founding  of  a  college  or  the 
birthday  of  an  eminent  statesman,  scientist,  or  au- 
thor. On  such  occasions  a  distinguished  speaker 
appears  as  "the  orator  of  the  day."  The  term  is 
also  used  with  reference  to  a  student's  graduation 
speech  or  to  an  oratorical  contest.  In  this  connection, 
it  should  be  remembered  that  the  subject-matter  of 
an  oration  must  lend  itself  to  the  purposes  of  persua- 
sion. You  cannot  rise  to  oratory  on  the  subject  of 
peanuts.  Further  than  this,  the  student  should  refer 
to  the  suggestions  previously  made  regarding  the 
choice  of  a  subject  and  the  qualities  of  style  for 
speech  composition  as  presented  in  the  preceding 
lesson. 

The  commemorative  speech. — This  type  of  speech 
is  in  demand  at  meetings  called  to  memorialize  impor- 


144  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

tant  events,  such  as  our  national  holidays  or  the  ded- 
ication of  a  public  building.  There  are  two  ways  for 
the  speaker  to  proceed  in  the  preparation  of  a  com- 
memorative address:  (1)  to  narrate  the  events  that 
give  rise  to  the  occasion,  (2)  to  dwell  upon  the  impor- 
tance and  meaning  of  the  events.  Some  narration  is 
usually  necessary  as  a  foundation  or  setting  for  the 
speech,  but,  unless  the  events  are  little  known,  the 
narrative  alone  will  not  prove  interesting  or  instruc- 
tive. The  speaker  should  therefore  plan  to  treat  such 
topics  as  the  significance  of  the  occasion,  what  it 
stands  for,  its  importance  and  influence  with  relation 
to  the  future. 

The  eulogy. — Analogous  to  the  commemorative  ad- 
dress, the  eulogy  memorializes  a  person  rather  than 
an  event.  The  death  of  almost  every  man  of  unusual 
local  or  national  prominence  is  observed  by  pronounc- 
ing a  eulogy  commemorating  his  life  and  services. 
As  in  the  commemorative  address,  there  are  two  ways 
of  proceeding:  (1)  the  biographical  method  and  (2) 
the  selective  or  "ethical"  method. 

The  biographical  method,  which  treats  a  life  chro- 
nologically, is  the  easier,  and  for  that  reason,  perhaps, 
is  most  frequently  employed  by  a  student.  The  re- 
sult is  a  mere  encyclopedic  abstract  treating  of  a 
man's  birth  and  parentage,  and  of  details  relating  to 
his  boyhood,  middle  life,  old  age,  and  death.  A 
eulogy  constructed  on  such  a  plan  can  be  of  no  earthly 
interest  or  value  to  any  audience. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  145 

In  the  selective  method,  which  should  always  be 
used  exclusively  if  one  has  but  a  comparatively  short 
time  for  a  eulogy,  the  accomplishments  or  qualities 
of  a  man  form  the  principal  divisions  of  the  dis- 
course, and  these  qualities  are  treated  without  regard 
to  chronological  order.  The  eulogist  seeks  to  answer 
such  questions  as :  What  were  the  sources  of  this 
man's  power — ^\vhat  did  he  stand  for?  "What  qualities 
mark  him  as  a  great  man?  What  are  the  lessons  of 
his  life?  In  contrast  w^ith  such  topics,  what  self- 
respecting  speaker  can  be  content  to  deal  with  such 
matters  as  childhood  diseases  or  harrowing  details 
of  a  man 's  death  1  In  preparing  a  eulogy,  therefore, 
avoid  the  purely  biographical  method ;  use  it,  if  at  all, 
only  as  introductory  or  incidental  to  the  selective 
method. 

The  after-dinner  speech. — In  America  the  custom 
has  grown  in  favor  of  calling  for  speeches  at  almost 
every  dinner  having  the  slightest  semblance  of  for- 
mality. Upon  these  occasions  we  hear  all  sorts  of 
speeches — the  grave  and  the  gay,  the  serious  and 
the  silly — and  this  part  of  the  dinner  program  often 
unnerves  the  speakers  and  bores  the  hearers.  But 
the  quantity  alone  of  such  speaking  demands  an 
attempt  to  determine  its  requirements. 

The  usual  after-dinner  audience  is  in  a  good- 
natured  and  receptive  mood,  and  wants  above  all  to 
be  entertained.  This  involves  the  element  of  interest. 
Hence  an  after-dinner  speech  should,  first  of  all,  be 


146  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

interesting;  and  this  is  one  reason  why  the  humorous 
anecdote  or  story  is  associated  with  these  occasions. 
While  the  story  is  frequently  overworked  and  the 
speech  is  pointless  with  a  series  of  unrelated  jokes, 
still  a  good  story  that  is  really  illustrative  of  a  point 
under  discussion,  goes  a  long  way  toward  making  a 
speech  interesting.  One  story  and  one  central  idea 
for  brief,  serious  discussion  are  usually  enough,  for 
an  after-dinner  speech  should  never  be  too  long. 
Make  sure  that  the  point  of  the  story  is  clearly 
brought  out,  but  don 't  make  the  mistake  of  explaining 
the  point — leave  that  to  the  audience.  James  Russell 
Lowell  once  remarked  that  the  after-dinner  speaker 
should  use  a  joke,  a  platitude,  a  quotation — and  then 
stop.  In  class  exercises,  the  author  has  found  it  to  be 
valuable  and  interesting  practice  to  require  students 
to  deliver  after-dinner  speeches  within  a  time-limit 
of  five  minutes,  adhering  strictly  to  the  following 
outline : 

1.  Relate  a  humorous  anecdote  or  story  as  an  intro- 
duction to  some  one  idea  or  point  related  to  your 
subject. 

2.  Briefly  discuss  your  point. 

3.  Reenforce  the  point  by  an  appropriate  quota- 
tion. 

4.  Stop. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  I47 

EXERCISES 
Note  the  content  and  phrasing  of  the  following  types  of  speeches 
for    special    occasions.      Let   members   of   the   class    reproduce    these 
speeches,  either  in  whole  or  in  outline,  before  the  class  as  an  audience. 

The  Commemorative  Speech 
Flag  Day  Address 

WOODROW  WILSON 

Condensed  from  an  address  delivered  at  Washington,  D.  C, 

June  17,  1917 

My  Fellow  Citizens : 

We  meet  to  celebrate  Flag  Day  because  this  flag  which  we 
honor  and  under  which  we  serve  is  the  emblem  of  our  unity, 
our  power,  our  thought  and  purpyt)se  as  a  nation.  It  has  no 
other  character  than  that  which  we  give  it  from  generation 
to  generation.  The  choices  are  ours.  It  floats  in  majestic 
silence  above  the  hosts  that  execute  those  choices,  whether 
in  peace  or  in  war.  And  yet,  though  silent,  it  speaks  to  us — 
speaks  to  us  of  the  past,  of  the  men  and  women  who  went 
before  us  and  of  the  records  they  wrote  upon  it.  We  cele- 
brate the  day  of  its  birth ;  and  from  its  birth  until  now  it 
has  witnessed  a  great  history,  has  floated  on  high  the  symbol 
of  great  events,  of  a  great  plan  of  life  worked  out  by  a  great 
people.  We  are  about  to  carry  it  into  battle,  to  lift  it  where 
it  will  draw  the  fire  of  our  enemies.  We  are  about  to  bid 
thousands,  hundreds  of  thousands,  it  may  be  millions,  of 
our  men,  the  young,  the  strong,  the  capable  men  of  the 
nation,  to  go  forth  and  die  beneath  it  on  fields  of  blood 
far  away — for  what  ?  For  some  unaccustomed  thing  ?  For 
something  for  which  it  has  never  sought  the  fire  before? 
American  armies  were  never  before  sent  across  the  seas. 
Why  are  they  sent  now  ?  For  some  new  purpose,  for  which 
this  great  flag  has  never  been  carried  before,  or  for  some  old. 


148  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

familiar,  heroic  purpose  for  which  it  has  seen  men,  its  own 
men,  die  on  every  battlefield  upon  which  Americans  have 
borne  arms  since  the  Revolution  ? 

These  are  questions  which  must  be  answered.  We  are 
Americans.  "We,  in  our  turn,  serve  America,  and  can  serve 
her  with  no  private  purpose.  We  must  use  her  flag  as  she 
has  always  used  it.  We  are  accountable  at  the  bar  of  his- 
tory and  must  plead  in  utter  frankness  what  purpose  it  is 
we  seek  to  serve. 

It  is  plain  enough  how  we  were  forced  into  the  war.  The 
extraordinary  insults  and  aggressions  of  the  Imperial  Ger- 
man Government  left  us  no  self-respecting  choice  but  to 
take  up  arms  in  defense  of  our  rights  as  a  free  people  and 
of  our  honor  as  a  sovereign  government.  The  military  mas- 
ters of  Germany  denied  us  the  right  to  be  neutral.  They 
filled  our  unsuspecting  communities  with  vicious  spies  and 
conspirators  and  sought  to  corrupt  the  opinion  of  our  people 
in  their  own  behalf.  When  they  found  that  they  could  not 
do  that,  their  agents  diligently  spread  sedition  amongst  us 
and  sought  to  draw  our  own  citizens  from  their  allegiance — 
and  some  of  those  agents  were  men  connected  with  the  offi- 
cial Embassy  of  the  German  Government  itself  here  in  our 
own  capital.  They  sought  by  violence  to  destroy  our  indus- 
tries and  arrest  our  commerce.  They  tried  to  incite  Mexico 
to  take  up  arms  against  us  and  to  draw  Japan  into  a  hostile 
alliance  with  her — and  that,  not  by  indirection,  but  by 
direct  suggestion  from  the  Foreign  Office  in  Berlin.  They 
impudently  denied  us  the  use  of  the  high  seas  and  repeat- 
edly executed  their  threat  that  they  would  send  to  their 
death  any  of  our  people  who  ventured  to  approach  the 
coasts  of  Europe.  And  many  of  our  people  were  corrupted. 
Men  began  to  look  upon  their  own  neighbors  with  suspicion 
and  to  wonder  in  their  hot  resentment  and  surprise  whether 
there  was  any  community  in  which  hostile  intrigue  did  not 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  149 

lurk.  What  great  nation  in  such  circumstances  would  not 
have  taken  up  arms  ?  Much  as  we  had  desired  peace,  it  was 
denied  us,  and  not  of  our  own  choice.  This  flag  under  which 
we  serve  would  have  been  dishonored  had  we  withheld  our 
hand. 

But  that  is  only  part  of  the  story.  We  know  now  as 
clearly  as  we  knew  before  we  were  ourselves  engaged  that 
we  are  not  the  enemies  of  the  German  people  and  that  they 
are  not  our  enemies.  They  did  not  originate  or  desire  this 
hideous  war  or  wish  that  we  should  be  drawn  into  it ;  and 
we  are  vaguely  conscious  that  we  are  fighting  their  cause, 
as  they  will  some  day  see  it,  as  well  as  our  own.  They  are 
themselves  in  the  grip  of  the  same  sinister  power  that  has 
now  at  last  stretched  its  ugly  talons  out  and  drawn  blood 
from  us.  The  whole  world  is  at  war  because  the  whole 
world  is  in  the  grip  of  that  power  and  is  trying  out  the 
great  battle  which  shall  determine  whether  it  is  to  be 
brought  under  its  mastery  or  fling  itself  free. 

The  Speech  of  Farewell 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

Farewell  speech  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  February  11,  1861. 

My  Friends : 

No  one  not  in  my  situation  can  appreciate  my  feeling 
of  sadness  at  this  parting.  To  this  place,  and  the  kindness 
of  these  people,  I  owe  everything.  Here  I  have  lived  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  and  have  passed  from  a  young  to  an 
old  man.  Here  my  children  have  been  born,  and  one  is 
buried.  I  now  leave,  not  knowing  when  or  whether  ever 
I  may  return,  with  a  task  before  me  greater  than  that  which 
rested  upon  Washington.  Without  the  assistance  of  that 
Divine  Being  who  ever  attended  him,   I  cannot  succeed. 


150  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

With  that  assistance,  I  cannot  fail.  Trusting  in  Him  who 
can  go  with  me,  and  remain  with  you,  and  be  everywhere 
for  good,  let  us  confidently  hope  that  all  will  be  well.  To 
his  care  commending  you,  as  I  hope  in  your  prayers  you  will 
commend  me,  I  bid  you  an  affectionate  farewell. 

Speech  of  an  Official  Representative 

An  address  by  M.  Viviani,  as  official  representative  of  the  French 
Government,  before  the  Tomb  of  Washington,  at  Mount  Vernon, 
AprH  29,  1917. 

We  could  not  remain  longer  in  Washington  without  ac- 
complishing this  pious  pilgrimage.  In  this  spot  lies  all  that 
is  mortal  of  a  great  hero.  Close  by  this  spot  is  the  modest 
abode  where  Washington  rested  after  the  tremendous  labor 
of  achieving  for  a  nation  its  emancipation. 

In  this  spot  meet  the  admiration  of  the  whole  world  and 
the  veneration  of  the  American  people.  In  this  spot  rise 
before  us  the  glorious  memories  left  by  the  soldiers  of  France 
led  by  Rochambeau  and  Lafayette ;  a  descendant  of  the 
latter,  my  friend,  M.  de  Chambrun,  accompanies  us. 

And  I  esteem  it  a  supreme  honor,  as  well  as  a  satisfaction 
for  my  conscience,  to  be  entitled  to  render  this  homage  to 
our  ancestors  in  the  presence  of  my  colleague  and  friend, 
Mr.  Balfour,  who  so  nobly  represents  his  great  nation.  By 
thus  coming  to  lay  here  the  respectful  tribute  of  every  Eng- 
lish mind  he  shows,  in  this  historic  moment  of  communion 
which  France  has  willed,  what  nations  that  live  for  liberty 
can  do. 

When  we  contemplate  in  the  distant  past  the  luminous 
presence  of  Washington,  in  nearer  times  the  majestic  figure 
of  Abraham  Lincoln ;  when  we  respectfully  salute  President 
Wilson,  the  worthy  heir  of  these  great  memories,  we  at  one 
glance  measure  the  vast  career  of  the  American  people. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  151 

It  is  because  the  American  people  proclaimed  and  won 
for  the  nation  the  right  to  govern  itself,  it  is  because  it  pro- 
claimed and  won  the  equality  of  all  men,  that  the  free  Ameri- 
can people  at  the  hour  marked  by  fate  has  been  enabled  with 
commanding  force  to  carry  its  action  beyond  the  seas ;  it  is 
because  it  was  resolved  to  extend  its  action  still  further 
that  Congress  was  enabled  to  obtain  within  the  space  of  a 
few  days  the  vote  of  conscription  and  to  proclaim  the  neces- 
sity for  a  national  army  in  the  full  splendor  of  civil  peace. 

In  the  name  of  France,  I  salute  the  young  army  which 
will  share  in  our  common  glory. 

While  paying  this  supreme  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
Washington,  I  do  not  diminish  the  effect  of  my  words  when 
I  turn  my  thought  to  the  memory  of  so  many  unnamed 
heroes.  I  ask  you  before  this  tomb  to  bow  in  earnest  medi- 
tation and  all  the  fervor  of  piety  before  all  the  soldiers  of 
the  allied  nations  who  for  nearly  three  years  have  been  fight- 
ing under  different  flags  for  some  ideal. 

I  beg  you  to  address  the  homage  of  your  hearts  and  souls 
to  all  the  heroes,  born  to  live  in  happiness  in  the  tranquil 
pursuit  of  their  labors,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  human  affec- 
tions, who  went  into  battle  with  virile  cheerfulness  and  gave 
themselves  up,  not  to  death  alone,  but  to  the  eternal  silence 
that  closes  over  those  whose  sacrifice  remains  unnamed,  in 
the  full  knowledge  that,  for  those  who  loved  them,  their 
names  would  disappear  with  their  bodies. 

Their  monument  is  in  our  hearts.  Not  the  living  alone 
greet  us  here ;  the  ranks  of  the  dead  themselves  rise  to  sur- 
round the  soldiers  of  liberty. 

At  this  solemn  hour  in  the  history  of  the  world,  while  salut- 
ing from  this  sacred  mound  the  final  victory  of  justice,  I 
send  to  the  Republic  of  the  United  States  the  greetings  of 
the  French  Republic. 


152  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

The  Eulogy 
The  Spirit  of  Abraham  Lincoln 

WOODROW  WILSON 

By  popular  subscription  the  log-cabin  birthplace  of  Lincoln  on  a 
farm  near  Hodgenville,  Kentucky,  has  been  enclosed  in  an  imposing 
granite  memorial  building  as  a  gift  to  the  Nation.  President  Wilson, 
called  upon  to  accept  the  memorial,  gave  this  impressive  interpretation 
of  it: 

No  more  significant  memorial  could  have  been  presented 
to  the  Nation  than  this  which  encloses  the  log-cabin  birth- 
place of  Abraham  Lincoln.  It  expresses  so  much  of  what  is 
singular  and  noteworthy  in  the  history  of  the  country;  it 
suggests  so  many  of  the  things  that  we  prize  most  highly  in 
our  life  and  in  our  system  of  government. 

How  eloquent  this  little  house  within  this  shrine  is  of  the 
vigor  of  democracy !  There  is  nowhere  in  the  land  any  home 
so  remote,  so  humble,  that  it  may  not  contain  the  power 
of  mind  and  heart  and  conscience  to  which  nations  yield  and 
history  submits  its  processes. 

Nature  pays  no  tribute  to  aristocracy,  subscribes  to  no 
creed  or  caste,  renders  fealty  to  no  monarch  or  master  of  any 
name  or  kind. 

Genius  is  no  snob.  It  does  not  run  after  titles  or  seek  by 
preference  the  high  circles  of  society.  It  affects  humble 
company  as  well  as  great.  It  pays  no  special  tribute  to  uni- 
versities or  learned  societies  or  conventional  standards  of 
greatness,  but  serenely  chooses  its  own  comrades,  its  o^vn 
haunts,  its  own  cradle  even,  and  its  own  life  of  adventure 
and  of  training. 

Here  is  proof  of  it.  This  little  hut  was  the  cradle  of  one  of 
the  great  sons  of  men,  a  man  of  singular,  delightful,  vital 


SPEECH  COMPOSITIOISr  153 

genius  who  presently  emerged  upon  the  great  stage  of  the 
Nation's  history,  gaunt,  shy,  ungainly,  but  dominant  and 
majestic,  a  natural  ruler  of  men,  himself  inevitably  the  cen- 
tral figure  of  the  great  plot. 

No  man  can  explain  this,  but  every  man  can  see  how  it 
demonstrates  the  vigor  of  democracy,  where  every  door 
is  open  in  every  hamlet  and  countryside,  in  city  and  wilder- 
ness alike,  for  the  ruler  to  emerge  when  he  will  and  claim  his 
leadership  in  the  free  life.  Such  are  the  authentic  proofs  of 
the  validity  and  vitality  of  democracy. 

Here,  no  less,  hides  the  mystery  of  democracy.  Who 
shall  guess  this  secret  of  nature  and  Providence  and  a  free 
polity  ? 

Whatever  the  vigor  and  vitality  of  the  stock  from  which 
he  sprang,  its  mere  vigor  and  soundness  do  not  explain  where 
this  man  got  his  great  heart  that  seemed  to  comprehend  all 
mankind  in  its  catholic  and  benignant  sympathy,  the  mind 
that  sat  enthroned  behind  those  brooding,  melancholy  eyes, 
whose  vision  swept  many  a  horizon  which  those  about  him 
dreamed  not  of — that  mind  that  comprehended  what  it  had 
never  seen,  and  understood  the  language  of  affairs  with  the 
ready  ease  of  one  to  the  manner  born — or  that  nature  which 
seemed  in  its  varied  richness  to  be  the  familiar  of  men  of 
every  way  of  life. 

This  is  the  sacred  mystery  of  democracy,  that  its  richest 
fruits  spring  up  out  of  soils  which  no  man  has  prepared  and 
in  circumstances  amid  which  they  are  the  least  expected. 
This  is  a  place  alike  of  mystery  and  of  reassurance. 

It  is  the  spirit  always  that  is  sovereign.  Lincoln,  like  the 
rest  of  us,  was  put  through  the  discipline  of  the  world — a 
very  rough  and  exacting  discipline  for  him,  an  indispensable 
discipline  for  every  man  who  would  know  what  he  is 
about  in  the  midst  of  the  world 's  affairs ;  but  his  spirit  got 
only  its  schooling  there.    It  did  not  derive  its  character  or  its 


154  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

vision  from  the  experiences  which  brought  it  to  its  full  rev- 
elation. 

The  test  of  every  American  must  always  be,  not  where  he 
is,  but  what  he  is.    That  also  is  of  the  essence  of  democracy, , 
and  is  the  moral  of  which  this  place  is  most  gravely  expres- 
sive. 

I  have  come  here  today  not  to  utter  a  eulogy  on  Lincoln ; 
he  stands  in  need  of  none,  but  to  endeavor  to  interpret  the 
meaning  of  this  gift  to  the  Nation  of  the  place  of  his  birth 
and  origin. 

Is  not  th-is  an  altar  upon  which  we  may  forever  keep 
alive  the  vestal  fire  of  democracy  as  upon  a  shrine  at  which 
some  of  the  deepest  and  most  sacred  hopes  of  mankind  may 
from  age  to  age  be  rekindled?  For  these  hopes  must  cer- 
tainly be  rekindled,  and  only  those  who  live  can  rekindle 
them. 

The  only  stuff  that  can  retain  the  life-giving  heat  is  the 
stuff  of  living  hearts.  And  the  hopes  of  mankind  cannot 
be  kept  alive  by  words  merely,  by  constitutions  and  doctrines 
of  right  and  codes  of  liberty.  The  object  of  democracy  is  to 
transmuvte  these  into  the  life  and  action  of  society,  the 
self-denial  and  self-sacrifice  of  heroic  men  and  women  will- 
ing to  make  their  lives  an  embodiment  of  right  and  service 
and  enlightened  purpose. 

The  commands  of  democracy  are  as  imperative  as  its  privi- 
leges and  opportunities  are  wide  and  generous.  Its  compul- 
sion is  upon  us.  It  will  be  great  and  lift  a  great  light  for 
the  guidance  of  the  nations  only  if  we  are  great  and  carry 
that  light  high  for  the  guidance  of  our  own  feet. 

"We  are  not  worthy  to  stand  here  unless  we  ourselves  be 
in  deed  and  in  truth  real  democrats  and  servants  of  man- 
kind, ready  to  give  our  very  lives  for  the  freedom  and  justice 
and  sjjiritual  exaltation  of  the  great  nation  which  shelters 
and  nurtures  us. 


SPEECH  COMPOSITION  155 

With  the  class  organized  into  a  literary  society, 
many  interesting  meetings,  as  time  permits,  could  be 
devoted  to  speeches  for  occasion  both  real  and  hypo- 
thetical. The  following  will  be  suggestive.  The  sub- 
jects for  each  occasion  can  be  supplied  to  meet  local 
conditions  and  interests.  Suggestions  for  subjects 
may  also  be  obtained  from  the  exercises  appended  to 
Chapter  IV  and  from  Appendix,  Part  I. 

1.  Laying  the  corner  stone  of  a  new  high-school  build- 

ing. 

2.  Celebration  of  one  or  more  of  the  national  holidays. 

3.  Eulogy  of  "The  Greatest  Man  in  American  His- 

tory" (or  in  this  state  or  town). 

4.  A  school  or  class  banquet. 

5.  Installation  ceremonies   (President  of  the  literary 

society,  student  body,  or  athletic  manager). 

6.  "Welcome  to  a  visiting  teacher  or  other  distinguished 

guest. 

7.  Student  rally   for   an   interscholastic   athletic   or 

debating  contest. 

8.  Presentation  and  acceptance  of  a  gift  to  the  retiring 

President  (or  other  student  officers). 

9.  An   occasion   calling  for  farewell  or  valedictory 

speeches. 

10.  A  Political  Club :    Candidates  and  issues  in  the 

present  national  (or  state,  or  city)  campaign. 

11.  A  Symposium  on  the  World  War. 

12.  Celebration  of  the  Establishment  of  World  Peace 


CHAPTER  IV 
EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING 

LESSONS  67-70 

Nature  and  Advantages  of  the  Extempore  Method 

What  is  extempore  speaking? — In  Chapter  II  the 
study  and  practice  of  speaking  to  an  audience  had 
reference  to  the  delivery  from  memory  of  another's 
words;  in  Chapter  III,  to  the  delivery  of  your  own 
words,  which  might  also  be  memorized.  But  training 
in  oral  English  should  by  no  means  stop  with  memo- 
riter  speaking.  We  now  come  to  the  next  step  in 
the  development  of  the  speaker,  that  of  extemporizing 
the  words  for  the  expression  of  thought.  Doubtless 
you  have  already  had  practice  in  the  grades  by  means 
of  the  topical  method  of  recitation,  or  otherwise,  or 
practiced  ''oral  composition"  in  the  English  course, 
in  place  of  written  themes.  But  whatever  training,  or 
lack  of  training,  you  have  had  in  this  form  of  oral 
English,  let  me  repeat  here  that  practice  in  written 
speech  composition  should  supplement  that  in  oral 
composition;  sometimes  using  the  same  subjects, 
but  preferably  other  subjects. 

In  considering  ways  and  means  of  acquiring  facil- 
ity in  extempore  speech,  let  us  first  get  a  clear  idea 

156 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  157 

of  just  what  this  method  is.  The  word  extempore  is 
used  both  as  an  adjective  and  as  an  adverb.  As  an 
adjective  its  simpler  form  is  usually  preferable  to 
the  equivalents,  extemporaneous  and  extemporary, 
and  as  an  adverb  it  is  likewise  preferable  to  extem- 
porarily.  In  the  present-day  usage  of  the  term,  it 
means  the  preparation  in  advance  of  the  subject- 
matter  for  a  speech,  but  not  of  the  words  for  the 
expression  of  the  thought.  Impromptu  speaking,  on 
the  other  hand,  means  no  advance  preparation  of 
either  thought  or  language.  Let  it  be  understood, 
therefore,  that  extempore  speaking  does  not  consist 
in  speaking  without  preparation,  but  rather  in  such 
thorough  preparation  that  ideas,  previously  thought 
out  and  arranged,  are  readily  recalled  and  expressed 
by  the  speaker  without  his  being  bound  by  any  set 
form  of  words. 

Advantages  of  the  extempore  method. — 1.  It  may 
be  remarked,  by  way  of  preface,  that  while  the  extem- 
pore method  in  public  speech  has  certain  marked 
advantages  over  every  other,  and  while  the  student 
of  speaking  must  never  be  content  until  he  has 
accjuired  the  ability  to  speak  without  memorizing  his 
language,  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  and  to  depart 
from  the  prepared  form  whenever  occasion  de- 
mands— as  in  a  debate,  for  example — yet  it  does  not 
follow  that  this  is  the  only  method  of  delivery  for  all 
occasions,  as  its  ardent  champions  sometimes  claim. 
Aside  from  its  use  in  informal  talks,  real  effective- 


158  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

ness  in  extempore  speaking  is  usually  developed  after 
considerable  practice  in  other  forms  of  delivery. 
Moreover,  writers  liave  doubtless  indulged  in  much 
useless  theorizing  about  this  whole  matter. 

The  truth  is,  there  is  no  one  best  method  of  delivery 
for  every  speaker  and  every  occasion.  What  con- 
cerns us  now  is,  that  the  conditions  of  American  citi- 
zenship require  that  the  student  must  train  himself 
to  speak  extemporaneously  before  an  audience — not 
by  practicing  a  compromise,  half-way  method,  but 
the  wholly  extempore  speech — and  that  he  who  has 
this  accomplishment  is  equipped  with  a  most  effective 
instrument  and  prerequisite  for  leadership. 

Even  as  far  back  as  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  Era,  Quintillian,  in  his  "Institutes  of  Ora- 
tory," said  that  "the  richest  fruit  of  all  our 
study  ...  is  the  faculty  of  speaking  extem- 
pore. .  .  .  "\^^lat  profit  does  much  writing, 
constant  reading  and  a  long  life  spent  in  study  bring 
us,  if  there  remains  with  us  the  same  difficulty  in 
speaking  that  we  felt  at  first  ? ' '  Now,  if  ' '  the  faculty 
of  speaking  extempore" — of  thinking  on  one's  feet 
and  commanding  on  the  instant  the  words  to  express 
one's  thought — was  a  need  in  Quintillian 's  time,  how 
much  more  frequent  and  constant  is  the  demand  in 
the  times  in  which  we  are  living.  It  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  orator  of  classical  times  was  poet, 
essayist,  historian,  novelist,  and  newspaper  reporter 
in    one.     Today    the    printing    press    removes    the 


EXTEMPOEE  SPEAKING  I59 

demand,  in  large  measure,  for  the  long,  formal,  set 
speech  of  former  times,  and  the  present  demand  is 
for  the  short,  business-like,  straight-from-the-shoul- 
der  speech — three  to  five  minutes  in  length,  say,  for 
the  give-and-take  discussion  of  a  live  topic — this  is 
the  type  of  speech  we  are  now  to  study  and  master. 

2.  Not  only  does  the  extempore  speech  meet  pres- 
ent-day needs  and  is  generally  preferred  by  modern 
audiences,  but  it  calls  into  play  those  mental  faculties 
that  are  essential  for  effectiveness  in  public  speech. 
There  is  cultivated  a  memory  for  ideas  rather  than 
for  words,  and  this  removes  the  danger  of  * '  speaking 
by  rote. ' '  Further,  with  the  mind  freed  from  recall- 
ing mere  words,  other  faculties  are  allowed  freer 
play  and  increased  mental  activity  and  alertness 
result.  It  may  reasonably  be  doubted  whether  there 
is  any  higher  or  more  exhilarating  form  of  mental 
exercise  than  that  of  facing  an  audience  and  attaining 
self-expression  in  extempore  speech. 

3.  Extempore  delivery  enables  one  to  adapt  his 
speech  to  the  occasion  or  to  the  audience.  Almost 
everyone  has  experienced  the  incongruity  of  a  for- 
mally prepared  address  which  did  not  fit  the  occasion. 
If  the  speaker,  under  such  circumstances,  is  able  to 
recast  the  language  of  his  prepared  speech,  retaining, 
it  may  be,  the  same  line  of  thought,  he  can  master 
the  situation.  The  genuine  extemporizer,  indeed, 
rarely  treats  the  same  subject  in  exactly  the  same  way 
on  every  occasion.     He  takes  advantage  of  occur- 


160  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

rences  of  the  moment  and  adapts  his  language  to  the 
particular  audience  he  is  addressing.  The  extem- 
pore speaker  is  therefore  prepared  generally  for  any 
occasion. 

4.  Most  important  of  all,  with  a  manuscript  or 
other  bondage  to  words  out  of  the  way,  the  extempore 
method  permits  a  personal  grapple  with  the  audience. 
With  a  memorized  speech  the  speaker  is  likely  to  be 
looking  within  for  his  words,  rather  than  without 
to  note  the  effect  of  his  words;  he  is  unwinding 
rather  than  weaving.  In  extempore  speech  the 
speaker  can  maintain  a  direct,  personal  contact  and 
sympathy  w^th  his  hearers.  He  is  concerned  only 
with  the  problem  of  how  to  make  his  thought  their 
thought.  He  notes  their  agreement  or  disagreement 
and  proceeds  accordingly.  Thus  is  his  thought  cast 
in  the  mold  offered  to  him  by  the  mind  of  his  audi- 
ence. Though  he  has  a  definite  line  of  thought  to 
develop,  he  can  give  due  elasticity  to  its  develop- 
ment ;  he  drops  those  ideas  which  he  sees  his  hearers 
have  accepted  and  elaborates  those  which  he  sees 
they  have  not  accepted.  He  gets  directly  at  hia 
auditors  and  wrestles  with  them.  And  the  speaker's 
power  in  this  personal  grapple  will  be  the  measure 
of  his  success. 

Topics  for  Review  and  Discussion 

Assign  to  one  or  more  members  of  the  class  one  of  the 
following  topics  for  a  three-minute  talk  to  the  class : 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  161 

1.  Give  illustrations  showing  the  difference  between  ex- 
tempore and  impromptu  speaking. 

2.  Discuss  the  advantages  of  extempore  delivery  over  (a) 
reading  from  manuscript,  (b)  speaking  memoriter,  (c) 
memorizing  in  part  and  extemporizing  in  part,  (d)  im- 
promptu speaking. 

{Note — Each  of  these  sub-topics  may  be  used  for  a  single 
talk.) 

3.  Give  examples  showing  the  present  day  need  of  the 
extempore  rather  than  the  set  speech. 

4.  Show  how  extempore  delivery  employs  mental  fac- 
ulties which  are  essential  for  effective  public  speech. 

5.  Give  examples  drawn  from  observation  or  experience, 
or  both,  showing  how  the  extempore  method  aids  in  adapt- 
ing a  speech  to  the  occasion  or  the  audience. 

6.  Discuss  and  illustrate  :  * '  The  extempore  method  per- 
mits a  personal  grapple  with  the  audience. ' ' 


LESSONS  71-85 

The  Preparation  and  Delivery  of  an  Extempore  Speech 

Planning  the  speech. — The  discussion  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  relating  to  choosing  a  subject,  gath- 
ering and  organizing  the  material,  etc.,  applies,  of 
course,  to  the  preparation  of  an  extempore  speech, 
and  need  not  be  repeated  here.  It  remains  to  speak 
of  certain  matters  peculiarly  applicable  to  the  extem- 
pore method. 

The  preparation  of  a  particular  speech  ^vill  of 
course  vary  with  the  subject,  the  occasion,  the  audi- 


162  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

ence,  and  the  time  at  one's  disposal.  Let  us  take  the 
five-minute  address  as  a  type,  both  because  such  a 
speech  is  in  frequent  demand  in  actual  life,  and  also 
because  the  short,  meaty  address  is  best  adapted  for 
class  exercises.  With  this  time-limit  in  mind,  it  at 
once  becomes  apparent  that  your  subject  must  always 
be  narrowed  to  a  single  phase  or  topic,  so  that  the 
treatment  is  confined  to  one,  two  or  three  main  points. 
Concentration  rather  than  diffusiveness  must  be  the 
aim.  Remember  that  the  primary  requisite  of  a  good 
speech  is,  that  the  hearers  get  something  out  of  it. 
Whether  it  be  in  the  nature  of  narration,  exposition, 
argument,  or  appeal,  or  mayhap  all  combined,  it 
should  leave  some  definite  impression  upon  the  minds 
of  the  hearers.  It  may  be  one  central  idea  that  rep- 
resents your  purpose  in  speaking,  rarely  more  than 
two  or  three — and  it  is  far  better  to  stick  to  a  single 
point  and  make  it  than  to  touch  upon  half  a  dozen 
points  and  leave  only  hazy  impressions. 

Outline  the  plan. — The  final  outline  for  an  extem- 
pore speech  has  certain  requirements  peculiarly  its 
own.  It  should  consist  of  a  skeleton  outline  only^ 
not  nearly  as  detailed  as  an  outline  for  a  written 
speech  or  the  "brief"  for  a  debate.  I  say  a  "skele- 
ton outline"  because  in  extempore  speaking  this  out- 
line, as  we  shall  presently  see,  is  to  be  memorized — 
ayid  it  is  the  only  thing  that  is  to  he  memorised. 
Hence  only  the  main  points  of  the  speech  are  to  be 
written  down.    They  should  be  few  in  number,  sim- 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  163 

pie,  and  orderly;  few  in  number  for  the  sake  of 
emphasis ;  simple,  that  they  may  be  readily  compre- 
hended, both  by  the  audience  and  by  yourself;  and 
orderly,  both  for  the  sake  of  clearness  and  for  ease 
in  recalling  them  as  you  speak.     In  class  work  the 
author  has  found  it  advantageous  to  have  students 
fill  out  the  following  blank  skeleton  outline  for  an 
extempore  speech,  handing  it  to  the  teacher  when 
called  upon  to  speak.     It  is  to  be  understood,  of 
course,  that  all  the  blank  headings  need  not  be  filled 
in  outlining  a  particular  topic.    Sometimes  a  subject 
will  require  little  or  no  introduction,  especially  if 
the  preceding  speaker  has  supplied  one.    The  discus- 
sion may  consist  of  only  one  main  heading,  and  under 
any  main  heading  but  one  or  two  sub-heads,  or  more, 
may  be  used.    Rarely,  however,  for  the  reasons  pre- 
viously urged,  should  more  headings  be  employed 
than  the  following  blank  provides : 

Topic : 

Introduction: 

Discussion: 

I 

1. 
2 

3. 


164  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

II 

1. 

2. 
3. 


III. 


1. 
o 

3. 
Conclusion: 

With  the  skeleton  outline  as  a  guide,  silently  think 
out  the  speech.  This  requires  ''mental  vision,"  and 
can  be  cultivated  by  practice.  Aim  first  to  see  the 
line  of  thought  as  a  whole,  the  object  you  aim  to  reach 
and  the  way  of  reaching  it.  The  main  headings  in 
your  outline  are  the  sign-boards  for  your  course; 
see  if  you  can  pass  from  one  to  the  other  without 
getting  lost  or  confused.  These  headings,  again,  are 
units  in  the  thought  development.  Mentally  develop 
each  heading,  in  turn,  deciding  how  each  can  be  most 
clearly  and  strikingly  presented  by  the  concrete 
statement  of  a  fact,  by  an  illustration  or  an  anecdote, 
weaving  in  at  the  proper  time  the  material  previously 
gathered  and  not  noted  in  the  outline.  Of  his  own 
metliod  in  preparing  a  speech  David  Starr  Jordan 
says:  *'I  write  down  a  few  headings  containing  a 
line  of  exposition  or  argument,  and  then  speak  to  each 
heading,  in  turn,  just  as  directly  and  clearly  and 
strikingly  as  I  can." 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  165 

Memorise  the  outline,  hut  nothing  else.  This  fre- 
quently requires  courage,  but  sooner  or  later  the 
speaker  should  learn  to  walk  without  crutches.  True, 
many  good  speakers  have  notes  for  reference,  but 
this  method  always  detracts  from  the  direct,  personal 
grapple  with  the  audience  which  we  saw  was  one 
great  advantage  of  the  extempore  method.  Further, 
we  are  now  concerned  w^ith  the  complete  mastery  of 
the  extempore  method  pure  and  simple,  Avithout  the 
use  of  crutches  or  leading  strings.  In  the  presence  of 
his  note-using  pastor,  a  Presbyterian  deacon  said  in 
his  prayer,  ''0  Lord!  teach  thy  servants  to  speak 
from  the  heart  to  the  heart,  and  not  from  a  little  piece 
of  paper,  as  the  manner  of  some  is. ' '  In  his  ^ '  Hints 
on  Writing  and  Speech  Making,"  Colonel  Higginson 
says :  ''Never  carry  a  scrap  of  paper  before  an  audi- 
ence." .  .  .  What  is  the  aim  of  your  notes? 
You  fear  that  Avithout  them  you  may  lose  your  thread, 
or  your  logical  connection,  or  some  valuable  fact  or 
illustration.  But  you  may  be  sure  that  neither  thread 
nor  logic  nor  fact  nor  argument  is  so  important  to 
the  audience  as  that  they  should  be  kept  in  entire 
sympathy  w^ith  yourself,  that  the  magnetic  contact, 
or  whatever  we  call  it,  should  be  unbroken.  The 
chances  are  that  nobody  will  miss  what  you  leave  out, 
if  you  forget  anything ;  but  you  Avill  lose  much  if  you 
forego  the  continuous  and  confiding  attention  given 
to  a  speaker  w^ho  is  absolutely  free. ' ' 

In  class  exercises,  therefore,  let  the  student  mem- 


166  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

orize  only  his  outline  and  avoid  the  use  of  his  notes 
before  the  audience.  The  plan  of  silently  thinking 
out  the  speech  has  been  purposely  stressed,  since  this 
trains  one  in  thinking  before  the  audience.  It  may 
often  be  a  good  plan,  as  an  aid  to  fixing  the  ideas  in 
the  memory,  to  tell  them  to  yourself  or  to  an  imagi- 
nary audience  or  to  a  friend.  But, in  no  case  should 
you  consciously  memorize  the  form  of  expression. 
Neither  is  it  a  good  plan  to  write  out  in  advance  any 
part  of  the  speech.  Writing  other  speeches,  or  an 
extempore  speech  after  its  delivery,  is  a  most  desira- 
ble corrective  of  the  looseness  and  other  dangers  of 
oral  composition.  But  once  again :  Memorise  noth- 
ing hut  your  outline.  Only  by  following  this  rule 
strictly  can  you  make  progress  in  real  extempore 
speaking. 

Delivery.  In  addition  to  what  has  already  been 
said  on  this  subject,  experience  shows  that  the  ama- 
teur in  extempore  speaking  needs  special  admonition 
on  the  score  of  movement.  On  the  mental  side  the 
faculties  must  be  wide  awake  and  alert.  Then  on 
the  oral  side  the  speech  should  move  along  without 
either  undue  haste  on  the  one  hand,  or  halting  on  the 
other.  Rate  of  utterance,  as  we  have  seen,  is  always 
relative  to  the  individual,  but  your  speech  should 
have  some  "go''  to  it.  To  be  sure,  there  is  no  use 
in  trying  to  deliver  one  hundred  and  fifty  words  a 
minute  when  your  brain  is  producing  but  seventy- 
five.    It  is  a  great  art,  usually  requiring  much  prac- 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  167 

tice,  exactly  to  time  the  expression  to  the  thought. 
When  the  tongue  outruns  the  brain,  a  speech  is  filled 
with  such  common  vocalizations  as  ^'uh,"  "ah," 
' '  why-ah, ' '  etc.  Padding  a  speech  with  such  meaning- 
less expletives  is  a  habit — not  uncommon  with  even 
experienced  speakers — which  should  be  corrected  by 
a  more  deliberate  delivery.  When  ideas  fail  to  come, 
pause.  Remember  that  pauses  in  speech,  especially 
at  transitions,  are  perfectly  natural,  and  never  seem 
as  long  to  a  hearer  as  they  often  do  to  the  speaker. 
But  do  not  pause  for  over-niceties  of  expression, 
foreign  to  your  ordinary  style,  just  because  you  are 
"making  a  speech."  Make  your  delivery  "direct, 
strong  talk."  "If  we  w^ould  have  our  speech  forci- 
ble, we  shall  need  to  put  into  it  quite  as  much  of 
audacity  as  we  do  of  precision." 

The  story  is  told  that  a  stenographer  once  asked 
extra  pay  for  reporting  one  of  Beecher's  speeches  on 
account  of  correcting  the  grammatical  errors.  "And 
how  many  errors  did  you  find!"  asked  Beecher.  On 
being  told  that  there  were  two  hundred  and  sixteen, 
he  said,  "Young  man,  wiien  the  English  language 
gets  in  my  way  it  doesn't  stand  a  chance."  Now, 
like  most  illustrations,  this  one  illustrates  but  a 
single  point.  Ungrammatical  language  is,  of  course, 
undesirable;  but  don't  let  a  speech  drag  in  order  to 
attain  grammatical  perfection.  Don't  "hem  and 
haw"  over  hair-splitting  differences  in  construction 
and  diction,  but  get  on  with  the  speech.    Improve- 


168  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

ment  comes  by  repeated  practice  along  right  lines, 
so  make  your  practice  in  school  worth  while.  Attack 
it  in  earnest,  and  in  class  exercises  or  in  the  literary 
society  never  allow  yourself  to  play  at  the  high  and 
complex  art  of  public  speech.  Set  a  high  standard 
and  constantly  aim  to  reach  it :  a  good  speech  con- 
sists in  a  sound,  wholesome  array  of  facts,  thought, 
or  argument,  planned  with  a  definite  object  in  view; 
the  treatment  of  each  main  division  relieved  and 
reenforced  by  an  illustration,  a  touch  of  humor,  or 
an  appeal  to  the  emotions;  and  delivered  with  the 
earnestness,  determination,  and  strength  that  you 
would  put  into  a  struggle  for  your  life. 

Suggestions  and  Topics  for  Extempore  Exercises 

TO   THE   TEACHER 

The  following  types  of  programs  for  class  exercises  in 
extempore  speaking  are  intended  to  be  suggestive  merely. 
If  the  class  is  organized  into  a  literary  society,  as  previously 
suggested,  let  a  Program  Committee,  selected  each  week, 
say,  prepare  the  programs  for  the  following  week  in  con- 
ference with  the  teacher.  It  is  well  to  begin  with  three-min- 
ute talks,  later  making  the  time-limit  five  minutes.  Thus,  if 
the  recitation  period  is  forty-five  minutes,  from  six  to  ten 
speeches  may  be  given  at  each  class  meeting,  allowing  always 
time  for  a  review  of  the  program,  both  by  the  teacher  and 
the  class.  With  a  large  class,  it  may  be  practicable,  as  pre- 
viously suggested,  to  have  it  meet  in  two  or  more  sections  for 
these  exercises,  each  with  a  responsible  chairman  or  monitor, 
the  teacher  visiting  each  section  during  the  recitation  period. 
Variety  in  the  programs  may  be  secured  by  interspersing 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  169 

declamations,  debates,  etc.  Since  facility  in  extempore 
speech  comes  only  through  practice,  commendation  along 
with  criticism  is  in  order,  especially  during  the  earlier 
efforts.  It  is  usually  the  better  plan,  also,  to  comment  at 
first  primarily  on  the  treatment  of  the  topic,  rather  than  on 
the  delivery.  Encourage  the  class  to  make  every  exercise  a 
real  occasion.  The  element  of  play  introduced  occasionally, 
so  that  it  has  a  purpose  behind  it,  will  add  to  the  interest 
and  enjoyment  of  the  work.  Let  the  president  or  chairman 
introduce  each  speaker  and  topic  by  an  appropriate  sentence 
or  two ;  and  in  every  practicable  way  let  the  students  act  on 
their  own  responsibility  and  initiative — they  are  in  train- 
ing for  citizenship  in  a  democracy. 

A  TxVLK  Dealing  with  Narration,  Description,  or  Exposi- 
tion, Based  on  the  Speaker's  Personal 
Observation   or   Experience 

Suggestive  Topics : 

1.  The  most  embarrassing  moment  of  my  life. 

2.  The  worst  scare  I  ever  had. 

3.  How  I  spent  my  vacation. 

4.  What  I  expect  to  do  after  leaving  school. 

5.  My  favorite  study. 

6.  A  character  sketch  of  my  best  friend. 

7.  An  hour  in  the  study  hall. 

8.  My  experience  in  public  speaking. 

9.  A  joke  on  myself. 

10.  My  favorite  book. 

11.  My  home  town. 

12.  The  trials  of  a  telephone  operator. 

13.  The  school  cafeteria  at  lunch  time. 

14.  A  ride  in  an  aeroplane. 

15.  My  first  venture  in  business. 


170  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

16.  A  hike  with  the  Boy  Scouts  (or  Camp  Fire  Girls). 

17.  A  contest  in  declamation. 

18.  An  interscholastic  debate. 

19.  Unnecessary  noises  that  we  hear. 

20.  Our  school  paper. 

21.  My  war  garden. 

22.  How  to  make  a  fireless  cooker  (war  cake,  war  bread, 

a  quail  trap,  a  water  tank,  camp  stove). 

23.  My  experience  with  oral  English. 

24.  What  I  did  to  help  win  the  World  War. 

25.  What  I  am  doing  to  help  heal  the  wounds  of  war. 

Stories 

Make  the  treatment  a  story  pure  and  simple,  and,  above 
all,  interesting : 

A.  Stories  of  great  men: 

1.  A  story  of  Washington. 

2.  The  funny  side  of  Lincoln. 

3.  Personal  recollections  of  a  great  man. 

4.  Character  sketch  of  a  prominent  citizen  whom  all  the 

students  know.     (See  if  the  hearers  can  identify 
the  subject.) 

5.  A  story  about  my  favorite  hero  in  history. 

6.  Longfellow,  the  children's  friend. 

7.  An  interesting  incident  of  Roosevelt's  life.     (Add  or 

substitute  other  names.) 

B.  Travel  hour: 

1.  Where  I  spent  my  vacation. 

2.  My  first  visit  to  a  great  city. 

3.  Where  I  would  go  if  I  should  follow  the  stream  that 

runs  nearest  the  schoolhouse. 

4.  An  ocean  voyage. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  171 

5.  How  to  "travel"  by  reading  books  on  travel. 

6.  Nearby  places  of  interest  to  the  traveler. 

7.  Five  most  interesting  places  in  the  United  States. 

8.  Travel  by  means  of  post  cards,  lantern  slides  and  the 

motion  picture  shows. 

9.  Travel  by  automobile  (aeroplane,  submarine,  etc.). 

C.  Bible  stories: 

1.  Abraham  and  Lot.     (Genesis  xiii-xiv.) 

2.  Destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.     (Genesis  xviii 

and  xix  1-30.) 

3.  Joseph  and  His  Brethren.     (Genesis  xxxvii,  xxxix, 

xlvii.) 

4.  Early  Life  and  Call  of  Moses.     (Exodus  i-iv.) 

5.  The  Passage  of  the  Red  Sea.     (Exodus  xiii,  xiv.) 

6.  Crossing  the  Jordan.     (Joshua  iii-iv.) 

7.  The  Life  and  Death  of  Samson.     (Judges  xiii-xvi.) 

8.  The  Story  of  Ruth  and  Naomi.     (Ruth  i-iv.) 

9.  The  Anointing  of  Saul.     (I  Samuel  xxii-xxiii.) 

10.  Saul's  Disobedience.     (I  Samuel  xv.) 

11.  The  Story  of  David  and  Goliath.      (I  Samuel  xxii- 

xxiii.) 

12.  The  Friendship  of  David  and  Jonathan.     (I  Samuel 

xviii,  1-14,  XX.) 

13.  Story  of  Elijah.     (I  Kings  xvi-xix.) 

14.  The  Capture  of  Jerusalem.    (II  Kings  xxv.) 

15.  Daniel  and  the  Fiery  Furnace.     (Daniel  i-iii.) 

16.  Daniel  in  the  Den  of  Lions.     (Daniel  vi.) 

17.  The  Story  of  Jonah.  (Book  of  Jonah.) 

Argument  and  Persuasion 

1.  Should  women  vote? 

2.  Should  high-school  studies  be  wholly  elective? 


172  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

3.  Oral  English  should  be  required  in  the  grammar  and 

high-school  grades. 

4.  Literary  society  work  should  count  toward  gradua- 

tion. 

5.  Work  on  the  school  paper  should  count  in  the  required 

English  course. 

6.  The  value  of  a  school  savings  bank. 

7.  Selling  cigarettes  to  boys  under  18  should  be  pro- 

hibited by  law. 

8.  The  need  of  leaders  in  this  school. 

9.  The  advantages    (or  disadvantages)    of  high-school 

fraternities. 

10.  Athletic  contests  should  be  so  planned  as  to  include 

all  pupils  in  a  school. 

11.  All  the  pupils  in  this  school  should  be  required  to 

participate    in    the    preliminary    public    speaking 
contests. 

12.  The  honor  system  in  examinations  is  justifiable. 

13.  Is   one  student  justified   in   reporting   another   for 

cheating  in  examinations? 

14.  A  reform  needed  in  this  school  w^ich  this  class  should 

aid  in  securing. 

Class  Work  in  English 

A.  Reproduce  in  your  own  words  a  selection  in  your  Eng- 

lish literature  studies. 

B.  An  hour  with  Shakespeare : 

1.  The  theatre  in  Shakespeare's  time. 

2.  Means  of  travel  in  Shakespeare's  time. 

3.  The  newspaper  in  Shakespeare's  time. 

4.  The  stories  of  Shakespeare 's  boyhood. 

5.  How  he  came  to  write  his  plays. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  173 

C-  The  Merchant  of  Venice. 

1.  Origin  of  the  play. 

2.  Was  Antonio  justified  in  his  hatred  of  the  Jew  1 

3.  Is  Antonio  or  Shylock  the  more  admirable  character  1 

4.  After  an  appropriate  introduction,  declaim  Portia's 

plea  for  mercy. 

5.  Likewise  declaim  Lorenzo's  words  on  the  power  of 

music   (see  page  50). 

D-  An  hour  with  Irving : 

1.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  life. 

2.  The  time  in  which  he  lived. 

3.  The  origin  of  the  Sketch  Book. 

4.  The  trials  of  Ichabod  Crane. 

5.  The  chief  characteristics  of  Irving 's  style. 

6.  Compare  one  of  his  sketches  with  a  story  by  O.  Henry. 

E.  An  hour  with  Longfellow : 

1.  Distinguished    contemporaries    with    whom    he    was 

reared. 

2.  Longfellow's  love  of  children. 

3.  His  home  life. 

4.  His  interests. 

5.  The  story  of  an  incident  in  his  life. 

6.  Declaim  the  short  poem  by  Longfellow  that  you  like 

best.      (Work  out  similar  programs  dealing  with 
other  authors.) 

F.  Oral  English : 

1.  The  need  of  training  in  oral  English  for  conversation. 

2.  The  uses  and  abuses  of  slang. 

3.  Why  I  should  practice  oral  composition. 

4.  The  advantages  of  memory  work. 

5.  How  one 's  vocabulary  may  be  enlarged. 


174  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

6.  How  teachers  of  subjects   other  than  English   can 

assist  in  training  students  in  oral  English. 

7.  How  training  in  oral  reading  helps  in  other  studies. 

8.  The  place  and  value  of  declamation. 

9.  The  need  of  training  in  extempore  speaking. 

10.  The  value  of  debate. 

11.  Possible  improvement  in  our  literary  society  work. 

12.  The  time  devoted  to might  better  be  devoted  to 

training  in  public  speaking. 

Foreign  Languages 

1.  Why  study  foreign  languages? 

2.  My  favorite  foreign  language  study. 

3.  How  the  study  of  Latin  helps  in  the  mastery  of  Eng- 

lish. 

4.  Should  a  foreign  language  be  required  in  the  high- 

school  course? 

5.  Should  the  teaching  of  German  be  permitted  in  classes 

below  the  high  school  ?    In  the  high  school  ? 

Science 

1.  The  construction  and  use  of  a  barometer. 

2.  Forecasting  the  weather. 

3.  Study  of  a  piece  of  coal. 

4.  How  a  sheet  of  paper  is  made. 

5.  The  main  feature  of  a  bath  tank. 

6.  Earthquakes. 

7.  A  tornado. 

8.  The  value  of  studying  physiology   (hygiene,  sanita- 

tion). 

9.  Why  one  should  eat  slowly. 
10.  Why  exercise  is  necessary. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  175 

11.  The  lack  of  an  efficient  system  of  physical  training  in 

America,  as  shown  by  the  war  draft. 

12.  How  Mr  Burbank  has  developed  a  new  species  of 

plants. 

13.  Has  physics  a  practical  value  for  both  girls  and  boys  ? 

14.  Why  one  should  study  chemistry    (biology,  botany, 

etc.). 

15.  The  need  of  vocational  training,  as  shown  by  the  war. 

16.  "Why  every  high-school  girl  should  have  training  in 

home  economics. 

17.  Why  every  high-school  boy  should  have  manual  train- 

ing. 

18.  The  importance  of  science,  as  shown  by  the  World 

War. 

History 

A.  History-making  speeches : 

1.  Demosthenes  "On  the  Crown." 

2.  Cicero  against  Cataline. 

3.  Antony  at  Caesar's  funeral. 

4.  Luther  at  the  Diet  of  Worms. 

5.  Burke's  impeachment  of  Warren  Hastings. 

6.  Webster's  Reply  to  Hayne. 

7.  Lincoln's  Gettysburg  address. 

8.  Beecher  at  Liverpool. 

9.  Blaine's  Eulogy  of  Garfield. 

10.  Grady's  "New  South"  speech  at  New  York. 

11.  Bryan  at  Chicago  in  1896. 

12.  Wilson  before  Congress  upon  declaring  that  a  state 

of  war  existed  between  America  and  Germany. 

B,  Makers  of  history  (narrow  the  subject  to  a  single  theme 

or  phase)  : 
1.  Alexander  the  Great. 


176  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

2.  Pericles. 

3.  Charlemagne. 

4.  Gladstone. 

(Supply  other  names  as  needed.) 

C.  Great  names  in  American  History  (Why  ' '  great  names ' '  ? 

Avoid  the  ^'encyclopedic"  method — see  treatment  of 
the  Eulogy,  Chapter  III)  : 

1.  "Washington. 

2.  Franklin. 

3.  Jefferson. 

4.  Lincoln. 

5.  Lee. 

6.  Grant. 

7.  Horace  Mann. 
(Supply  other  names.) 

8.  Famous  living  Americans  (supply). 

D.  Famous  historical  events  and  incidents : 

1.  Xerxes'  invasion  of  Greece. 

2.  The  fall  of  Rome. 

3.  Securing  the  Magna  Charta. 

4.  The  ''Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold." 

5.  The  storming  of  the  Bastille. 

6.  The  defense  of  the  Alamo. 

7.  The  founding  of  Plymouth. 

8.  Signing  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

9.  The  Potsdam  Conference.     (See  World's  Work  for 

June,  1918,  article  by  Henry  Morgenthau.) 

10.  The  invasion  of  Belgium  in  1914. 

11.  The  arrival  of  American  troops  in  France  (June  27, 

1917). 

12.  The  spread  of  democracy  resulting  from  the  World 

War. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  I77 

The  World  War 

A.  The  war  from  the  viewpoint  of  Germany's  military  and 

political  leaders.  (Material  on  the  following  topics 
may  be  secured  from  ' '  Conquest  and  Kultur, ' '  consist- 
ing of  testimony  by  German  writers  and  published  by 
the  Committee  on  Public  Information,  10  Jackson 
Place,  Washington,  D.  C.)  : 

1.  The  mission  of  Germany. 

2.  World  power  or  downfall. 

3.  The  worship  of  power. 

4.  War  as  a  part  of  the  divine  order. 

5.  War  as  the  sole  arbiter. 

Germany  opposes  arbitration  at  The  Hague. 

6.  Economic  necessity  of  expansion. 

7.  Germany  the  ruler  of  middle  Europe^ 

8.  Expansion  to  the  southeast. 
The  menace  of  the  Bagdad  plan. 

9.  Subordination  of  France. 

10.  Sea  power  and  colonial  expansion. 

11.  The  lost  Teutonic  tribes. 

12.  Dispossessing  the  conquered. 

13.  The  Pan-German  party. 

14.  Pan-Germanism  and  America. 

15.  Pretexts  for  war. 

16.  The  Moroccan  question. 

17.  The  challenge  to  England  on  the  seas. 

18.  German  military  law  of  1913. 

19.  A  German's  sober  estimate  of  the  war  spirit. 

20.  The  kaiser  won  for  war. 

21.  ''The  day"  dawns. 

B.  The  war  from  America's  viewpoint.     Hart's  Topical 

Outlines  of  the  War  will  be  found  very  helpful  in  con- 


U 


178  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

nection  with  the  following  topics.  It  can  be  obtained 
from  the  McKinley  Publishing  Co.,  Philadelphia,  for 
20  cents.  A  vast  amount  of  concise  information  is  con- 
tained in  the  War  Cyclopedia,  published  by  the  Com- 
mittee on  Public  Information,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Price  25  cents : 

1.  Why   America   remained   neutral   for  nearly   three 

years. 

2.  The  rivalry  of  European  nations. 

3.  The  rise  of  Prussia. 

4.  Bismarck's  policy  of  ''blood  and  iron." 

5.  The  German  constitution. 

6.  Kaiser  Wilhelm  as  an  autocrat. 

7.  Why  Germany  has  not  become  democratic. 

.       8.  The  reason  for  Germany's  demand  for  "a  place  in 

W  the  sun."     (The  need  of  expansion  of  territory  and 

;  #  of  trade.) 

\'      9.  The  war  party. 

10.  The  Germans'  idea  of  their  mission  to  enforce  Ger- 

man Kultur  upon  other  nations. 

11.  The  Franco-Prussian  vvar. 

12.  Germany's  preparations  for  the  World  War. 

13.  Circumstantial  evidence  to  show  that  Germany  delib- 

erately planned  and  started  the  war. 

14.  Direct  testimony  to  the  same  effect    (Ambassadors 

Lichnowsky,  Gerard  and  Morgenthau). 

15.  The  Austria-Serbian  controversy. 

16.  The  Austrian  ultimatum. 

17.  Germany's  attitude. 

18.  Efforts  of  Russia  and  England  to  avert  the  war. 

19.  The  invasion  of  Belgium. 

20.  The  entrance  of  England  and  Italy  into  the  war. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  179 

21.  Germany's  methods  of  ruthlessness  and  f rightfulness 

in  warfare. 

22.  The  immediate  cause  of  America's  entrance  into  the 

war. 

23.  The  real  cause :  a  war  against  war  as  a  means  of  set- 

tling international  disputes. 

C,  America's  part  in  the  war : 

1.  The  organization  of  an  army  by  means  of  conscrip- 

tion. 

2.  The  part  our  navy  played. 

3.  Shipping. 

4.  Aircraft. 

5.  The  management  of  enemies  in  our  midst. 

6.  The  work  of  the  Secret  Service. 

7.  The  cooperation  of  Captains  of  Industry. 

8.  The  cooperation  of  Labor. 

9.  Trials  with  the  I.  W.  W.  and  pacifists. 

10.  The  Red  Cross. 

11.  The  Army  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

12.  The  Army  Y.  W.  C.  A. 

13.  The  Knights  of  Columbus. 

14.  Weakness  and  strength  of  American  democracy  as  re- 

vealed by  the  war. 

15.  Valuable  by-products  of  the  war :  thrift,  social  service, 

patriotism,  teamwork,  etc. 

16.  A  League  of  Nations  to  enforce  Peace. 

Biographical  Sub.jects 

The  delivery  of  a  well  conceived  address  on  a  great  name 
in  history  or  literature  is  widely  educational  in  ways  other 
than  public  speaking  alone.  But  do  not  employ  the  biogra- 
phical method  in  treatment   (see  page  144).     Names  that 


180  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

might  be  selected  are  practically  unlimited,  and  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  use  space  here  to  suggest  proper  subjects  for  such 
exercises.  Take  authors  or  characters  studied  in  the  English 
and  American  literature  classes.  Gough's  "Famous  Living 
Americans"  will  also  furnish  a  good  list  and  is  a  source  book 
for  material ;  this  volume,  in  fact,  was  prepared  for  this  very 
purpose,  and  includes  an  introductory  treatise  on  the  ex- 
tempore speech. 

Current  Events  and  Questions  of  the  Day 

Suggested  topics : 

1.  Our  relations  with  Mexico, 

2.  The  commission  form  of  city  government. 

3.  The  business  manager  plan  of  city  government. 

4.  Literacy  test  for  voters. 

5.  Literacy  test  for  immigrants. 

6.  Public  ownership  of  railroads  (telephone,  telegraph, 

lighting  plants,  street  railway,  etc.). 

7.  The  liquor  problem. 

8.  The  problem  of  child  labor. 

9.  The  thrifty  pauper. 

10.  "Women  in  politics. 

11.  Juvenile  courts. 

12.  Competition  vs.  Cooperation,  as  shown  by  the  war. 

13.  Socialism. 

14.  The  new  social  spirit. 

15.  A  national  marriage  and  divorce  law. 

16.  Freedom  of  thought,  of  speech,  and  of  the  press,  as 

affected  by  the  war. 

17.  Freedom  of  thought,  etc.,  after  the  war. 

18.  Education  for  citizenship. 

19.  Freedom  of  conscience. 

20.  Dangers  to  our  free  institutions. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  181 

21.  Sectarian  schools  and  colleges. 

Glean  current  topics  from  such  periodicals  as  the  Literary 
Digest,  Independent,  Outlook,  Current  Opinion,  World's 
Work,  Review  of  Reviews,  etc.  The  subjects  listed  in  Ap- 
pendices I  and  II  will  also  be  suggestive. 

A  Meeting  of  the  Extempore  Speaking  Class  (or  of  the 
Literary  Society) 

1.  Address  of  Chairman :  Nature  and  advantages  of  the 

extempore  method. 

2.  Gathering  material  and  planning  the  speech. 

3.  Making  and  memorizing  the  outline. 

4.  Extempore  delivery. 

5.  My  experience  in  extempore  speaking. 

A  Mass  Meeting  of  the  Student  Body  to  Discuss 
Student  Interests 

1.  Address  of  Chairman  :    The  value  of  student  activities 

as  a  training  for  citizenship. 

2.  The  literary  societies. 

3.  Student  publications. 

4.  Student  self-government. 

5.  The  honor  system  in  this  school. 

6.  The  athletic  association. 

7.  The  students'  association. 

8.  Prospects  and  duties  of  the  coming  year. 

A  Meeting  of  the  Athletic  Association 

1.  Address  of  the  Chairman:     The  athletic  movement 

and  its  influence. 

2.  Physical  training  for  all  vs.  special  training  for  the 

few. 


182  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

3.  The  national  game  of  baseball. 

4.  The  dangers  and  advantages  of  football. 

5.  Tennis. 

6.  Basketball. 

7.  Sportsmanship  in  athletic  contests. 

8.  The  management  of  our  athletics. 

9.  Athletics  for  girls. 

10.  Victories  and  defeats  of  the  past  season,  and  the  les- 

sons therefrom. 

11.  The  year's  outlook  in  athletic  contests. 

A  Meeting  of  the Literary  Society 

1.  Address  of  the  Chairman :    The  present,  past  and  fu- 

ture of  this  society. 

2.  The  demand  of  the  times  for  public  speakers. 

3.  Public  speaking  for  the  professions. 

4.  Public  speaking  for  the  non-professional  class. 

5.  The  public  speaker  needed  for  today. 

6.  The  value  of  practice  in  declamation. 

7.  The  need  of  training  in  extempore  speaking. 

8.  The  training  for  citizenship  that  debating  affords. 

9.  What  is  the  best  training  for  the  public  speaker  ? 

Labor  Day 

1.  Address  of  the  Chairman :    Labor  day  and  holidays. 

2.  The  labor  problem. 

3.  Labor  organizations. 

4.  Free  labor. 

5.  The  open  vs.  the  closed  shop. 

6.  The  rights  of  laboring  men. 

7.  The  rights  and  limitations  of  labor  unions. 

8.  Should  organized  labor  align  itself  with  party  politics  ? 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  183 

Thanksgiving  Day 

1.  Address  of  Chairman  :    National  holidays. 

2.  The    history   of    Thanksgiving.      (See    Magazine    of 

American  History,  XIV,  556;  XVI,  505.) 

3.  The  President 's  Thanksgiving  proclamation. 

4.  Matters  for  national  thanksgiving. 

5.  The  usual  observance  of  Thanksgiving  Day. 

6.  How  should  Thanksgiving  be  observed  ? 

7.  Thanksgiving  dinner, 

8.  Thanksgiving  football. 

9.  The  turkey  and  Thanksgiving. 

10.  Mr.   Dooley   on   Thanksgiving.      (Harper's   Weekly, 
XLIV,  1133.) 

Washington  's  Birthday 

1.  Address  of  Chairman :     The  day  and  its  observance. 

2.  Washington  the  man. 

3.  Washington  and  the  beginning  of  the  war  for  Inde- 

pendence. 

4.  Washington  as  a  soldier. 

5.  Washington  as  President. 

6.  His  Farewell  Address. 

7.  National  isolation :  the  reason   for   its  advocacy   by 

Washington. 

8.  Washington  as  father  of  the  Monroe  doctrine. 

9.  Washington  and  imperialism. 

10.  The  traditional  vs.  the  real  Washington. 


^to' 


Arbor  Day 

(If  possible  hold  the  exercises  on  the  school  ground  and 
have  the  pupils  actually  plant  one  or  more  trees.  Write  to 
the  Extension  Department  of  your  State  University  for  a 
program.) 


184  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

1.  Address  of  Chairman :     The  origin  and  significance 

of  Arbor  Day. 

2.  Song,  An  Anthem  for  Arbor  Day  (by  S.  F.  Smith, 

sung  to  the  tune  of  ''America.") 

3.  Autobiography  of  a  tree. 

4.  How  the  forest  saves  the  soil. 

5.  Trees  I  know  and  how  I  know  them. 

6.  How  to  prune  a  tree. 

7.  Beautifying  the  school,  home  and  church  grounds. 

8.  The  necessity  for  conservation  of  trees  in  the  United 

States, 

9.  Appropriate  declamation. 

10.  Song:     "Hymn  for  Tree  Planting"  or  "The  Class 
Tree." 

A  Rally  for  an  Interscholastic  Debate  or  Athletic 

Contest 

(Supply  the  topics  to  meet  local  conditions.) 

A  Meeting  of  the  Community  Improvement  Club 

1.  Address  of  Chairman  :    The  need  for  and  aims  of  this 

club, 

2.  The  improvement  of  our  streets  and  sidewalks. 

3.  Needs  in  the  way  of  better  sanitation. 

4.  How  this  club  can  cooperate  with  the  Red  Cross, 

Parent-Teacher  Associations,  etc. 

5.  Safeguards  that  we  should  take  to  preserve  the  public 

health. 

6.  Programs  and  entertainments  needed  to  stimulate  a 

better  community  spirit. 


EXTEMPORE  SPEAKING  135 

A  Mass  Meeting  Called  to  Discuss  the  Presidentui^ 
(or  State  or  City)  Campaign  of  19 — 

1.  Address  of  Chairman  :  Party  government  in  America 

2.  The  Republican  and  Democratic  platforms  compared 

3.  The  platforms  of  other  parties  in  the  campaign. 

4.  The  issues  of  the  campaign. 

5.  The  candidate  of  the  Republican  party. 

6.  The  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party. 

7.  Candidates  of  other  parties. 

8.  A  prophecy  of  the  result. 

A  Meeting  of  the  High  School  Political  Club 

(following  a  Presidential  or  State  or  City  election.) 

1.  Address  of  Chairman :    Election  day  and  the  returns, 

2.  Elements  of  strength  in  the  victorious  party. 

3.  Elements  of  weakness  in  the  victorious  party. 

4.  Elements  of  weakness  in  the  defeated  party. 

5.  Elements  of  strength  in  the  defeated  party. 

6.  The  result  as  affected  by  the  vote  of  other  parties. 

7.  Spectacular  features  of  the  campaign. 

8.  The  future  of  the  Democratic  party. 

9.  The  future  of  the  Republican  party. 

10.  The  future  of  other  parties  in  the  campaign. 

A  Banquet  of  the High  School  Literary  Society 

1.  Address  of  Toastmaster :  Retrospect  and  prophecy. 

2.  Distinguished  members  of  the  past. 

3.  Distinguished  members  of  the  present. 

4.  Our  honorary  members. 

5.  The  state  of  the  society :    Do  we  need  oil  or  ginger  ? 

6.  The  state  of  the  country. 

7.  The  girls. 


186  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

8.  The  boys. 

9.  Past,  present  and  future. 

A  Class  Meeting  to  Present  a  Suitable  Souvenir  to  a 
Departing  Teaceler  or  Class  Leader 

1.  Address  of  Chairman :     The  purpose  of  the  meeting 

(followed  by  proper  introduction  of  the  succeeding 
speakers).  • 

2.  The  aims  of  our  class  work. 

3.  The  work  of  the  class  as  individuals. 

4.  The  work  and  spirit  of  the  class  as  a  whole. 

5.  Appreciation  of  the  efforts  and  assistance  rendered 

by  the  teacher  or  student. 

6.  Presentation  of  the  gift,  with  an  appropriate  personal 

tribute  on  behalf  of  the  class. 


CHAPTER  V 

DEBATING 

LESSONS  86-90 

What  is  debated  Whenever  two  or  more  persons 
hold  different  opinions,  and  each  tries  to  win  the 
other  over  to  his  own  way  of  thinking,  they  are 
debating.  Debate  is  therefore  a  much  more  common 
practice  than  we  are  likely  to  think.  In  its  true  sense, 
debating  is  not  disputing  or  quarreling;  it  is  a  log- 
ical discussion  of  opposing  views  held  on  a  given 
question  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  which  side 
has  the  truth  in  its  favor. 

Value  of  debate.  Widespread  and  intelligent  dis- 
cussion is  the  very  life  of  a  democratic  government. 
A  large  part  of  such  discussion  takes  the  form  of 
argument;  it  represents  an  attempt  by  one  person, 
through  a  process  of  reasoning,  to  get  others  to 
accept  his  views.  Therefore  every  citizen  should 
know  at  least  the  elementary  principles  of  debating. 
Further,  the  disciplinary  value  of  debate  as  a  sub- 
ject for  study — the  development  of  the  reasoning 
faculties,  the  training  in  the  logical  organization  and 
clear  expression  of  thought,  the  information  acquired 
on  current  public  questions — these  and  many  other 

137 


188  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKINO 

considerations  render  debating  sucli  an  important 
factor  in  education  that  the  schools  cannot  afford  t(j 
neglect  it. 

Selecting  and  Stating  a  Question  for  Debate 

In  the  discussions  of  everyday  life,  the  questions 
are  usually  not  selected — they  come,  and  are  dis- 
cussed as  they  arise.  But  in  class  exercises  and  lit- 
erary societies  the  choice  of  questions  for  debate  is 
often  a  difficult  and  always  a  very  important  matter. 
The  following  rules  are  therefore  suggested : 

1.  Select  live  questions.  That  is,  good  questions 
for  debate  should  be  of  educational  value  in  lines 
other  than  debating  merely.  They  should  be  ques- 
tions of  present  day  interest  and  importance.  *' Was 
Hamlet  insane?"  might  be  discussed  profitably  in  a 
class  in  English  literature,  but  such  academic  ques- 
tions should  usually  be  avoided  in  a  debating  society. 
In  general,  select  questions  which  are  under  discus- 
sion at  the  present  time — questions  the  solution  of 
which  would  be  of  genuine  benefit  to  society.  (See 
Appendix  II.)  Local  questions  should  be  used  so 
far  as  possible — questions  that  strike  home  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  big  subjects  of  nation-wide  import.  A 
number  of  local  questions  can  readily  be  secured  if 
the  program  committee  asks  itself  this  question : 
''What  problems  in  our  school  or  community  are 
pressing  for  solution f" 

2.  Select  questions  really  debatable.    Two  classes 


DEBATING  Igg 

of  non-debatable  questions  are:  (1)  those  not  capa- 
ble of  approximate  proof  or  disproof,  and  (2)  those 
having  only  one  side.  Such  questions  as,  ''Is  the 
pen  mightier  than  the  sword  for"  Is  the  cow  a  more 
useful  animal  than  the  horse?"  are  not  good  ques- 
tions for  debate  because  there  is  no  common  standard 
of  judgment,  and  no  satisfactory  proof  is  possible. 
So  also  questions  dejjending  upon  matters  of  faith, 
as  in  most  religious  questions,  or  propositions  de- 
pending upon  vague  questions  of  taste,  as, ' '  Resolved, 
That  Poe  is  a  greater  poet  than  Longfellow" — all 
such  questions,  for  purposes  of  debate,  should  be 
avoided.  Again,  "Resolved,  That  Shakespeare  was 
a  great  poet, ' '  is  not  debatable,  since  it  has  only  one 
side. 

3.  Stating  the  question.  The  question  should  be 
stated  in  the  form  of  a  proposition;  that  is,  some- 
thing should  be  predicated  of  the  subject.  A  propo- 
sition is  a  statement  that  something  is  or  is  not. 
"Mexico"  might  be  used  as  the  subject  of  an  essay, 
but  for  debate  a  definite  proposition  must  be  made 
regarding  the  subject;  as  "The  United  States  should 
establish  a  protectorate  over  Mexico."  The  propo- 
sition should  be  stated  affirmatively ;  it  should  usually 
raise  a  single  issue  only;  and  it  should  avoid  all 
ambiguous  terms.  If  the  question  proposes  a  change 
in  a  present  condition  or  policy,  the  affirmative 
should  argue  for  such  change ;  as  "  Resolved,  That  in 
all  civilized  countries  women  should  be  granted  the 


190  OKAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

suffrage  on  equal  terms  with  men,"  or  "Resolved, 
That  football  should  not  be  allowed  in  schools  and 
colleges. ' '  Both  of  these  propositions  affirm  a  change 
in  present  conditions.  Double-headed  questions 
should  be  avoided;  as,  "Football  should  be  abolished 
in  our  schools  and  volley  ball  substituted."  Again, 
the  question  should  be  stated  clearly,  avoiding  the 
use  of  any  ambiguous  terms.  For  example,  take  the 
question,  "Eesolved,  That  President  Wilson's  for- 
eign policy  is  justifiable."  A  moment's  thought  will 
show  that  this  statement  includes  several  independ- 
ent propositions  relating  to  a  large  number  of  foreign 
countries.  So,  such  current  terms  as  Imperialism, 
Anarchy,  Socialism,  Jingoism,  Militarism,  when  used 
in  debate,  should  be  defined  or  limited  in  the  state- 
ment of  the  question. 

4.  Collecting  material  for  a  debate.  Most  ques- 
tions will  require  more  or  less  reading  of  books,  gov- 
ernment publications,  magazines  and  newspaper  arti- 
cles, for  the  collection  of  facts  and  arguments.  A  list 
of  references  especially  serviceable  in  debating,  which 
should  be  in  every  well-equipped  high-school  library, 
will  be  found  in  Appendix  VI.  In  addition  to  the 
directions  for  reading  and  taking  notes  contained  in 
Chapter  III,  this  special  caution  should  be  heeded 
by  the  debater:  Do  not  fail  to  read  on  both  sides  of 
the  question.  You  cannot  well  argue  your  side  with- 
out knowing  what  can  be  said  on  the  opposite  side. 
A  great  lawyer  is  quoted  as  saying,  "  If  I  have  time  to 


DEBATING  191 

study  only  one  side  of  a  case,  I  study  that  of  my 
adversary. ' '  In  taking  notes  on  your  reading  by  the 
use  of  the  card-index  system,  as  previously  recom- 
mended, a  separate  set  of  cards  should  be  prepared 
dealing  with  points  for  refutation.  These  rebuttal 
cards  will  be  found  highly  serviceable — indispensa- 
ble, in  fact — in  the  actual  debate. 

Analyzing  the  Proposition 

After  reading  on  the  question  more  or  less  exten- 
sively, the  principal  arguments,  pro  and  con,  will 
begin  to  take  shape.  At  this  point  the  issues  in  the 
debate  should  be  definitely  determined — the  points 
or  propositions  which,  if  established,  wdll  prove  or 
disprove  the  main  proposition.  This  is  the  work  of 
analysis,  and  it  is  a  matter  that  is  too  frequently 
overlooked  by  the  debater.  Analysis  is  the  process 
of  determining  just  what  the  question  means  and 
just  w^hat  are  the  essential  arguments  for  and  against 
it.    The  steps  in  analysis  are : 

1.  Define  the  question.  This  may  include  the  defi- 
nition of  any  doubtful  terms,  as  well  as  explaining 
the  question  as  a  whole.  In  this  step  in  analysis,  it 
should  be  remembered  that  the  terms  used  in  a  ques- 
tion and  also  the  question  itself  must  be  defined  in 
the  light  of  popular  discussion.  What  is  the  origin 
of  the  question!  How  does  it  arise  as  a  subject  for 
debate,  and  what  is  the  nature  and  trend  of  public 
discussion    concerning  it?     In  other  words,  avoid 


192  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

splitting  hairs  in  tlie  interpretation  of  either  single 
terms  or  of  the  question  as  a  whole.  If  there  are 
really  doubtful  terms,  both  sides  should  agree  in 
advance  upon  the  interpretation,  whenever  practica- 
ble. Reasonable  people  do  not  debate  terms,  but 
ideas ;  and  an  audience  does  not  care  to  hear  debaters 
quibble  over  terms  in  a  question,  but  wishes  to  hear 
a  discussion  of  the  question  itself. 

2.  Exclude  all  irrelevant,  waived,  and  admitted 
matter.  In  the  analysis  of  the  proposition,  the  bounds 
of  the  question  should  be  definitely  drawn.  Note 
carefully  all  points  that  are  granted  in  the  discussion, 
and  that  do  not  bear  on  the  main  issue ;  in  short,  all 
matters  that  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  case. 

3.  Contrast  the  contentions  of  the  affirmative  side 
with  those  of  the  negative.  Make  a  careful  list  of  the 
arguments  advanced  by  those  upholding  the  affirma- 
tive side  of  the  question,  and  over  against  these  a 
list  of  the  arguments  on  the  negative  side.  These 
lists  will  reveal  the  main  differences  on  the  question 
at  issue,  and  will  very  materially  aid  in  taking  the 
next  and  final  step  in  the  analysis. 

4.  Determine  the  issues.  You  now  come  to  the 
main  point  in  the  analysis,  determining  the  issues  in 
the  debate.  It  will  be  found  by  careful  analysis  that 
almost  any  proposition  for  debate  can  be  resolved 
into  two,  three,  or  four  main  issues  which,  if  proved, 
will  prove  the  main  proposition.  These  main  issues 
represent  a  clash  in  opinion — those  matters  on  which 


DEBATING  I93 

the  contending  sides  disagree.  For  example:  *'A1\ 
immigrants  to  the  United  States  should  be  able  to 
read  in  some  language.'^  Although  Congress  has 
legislated  on  this  subject,  new  conditions  resulting 
from  the  World  War  have  brought  about  some  popu- 
lar agitation  for  either  the  repeal  or  modification  of 
our  present  law.  If  we  study  the  clash  of  opinions  on 
this  proposition,  we  find  that  it  is  claimed  on  the 
affirmative  side  that  a  reading  test  for  immigrants 
is  reasonable  on  the  face  of  it ;  that  every  intending 
citizen  should  be  able  to  read.  We  find  further,  that 
those  supporting  the  affirmative  claim  that  a  large 
percentage  of  what  is  known  as  the  New  Immigra- 
tion cannot  read;  that  this  gives  us  an  excess  of 
unskilled  laborers,  and  that  this  lowers  the  standard 
of  wages,  and  consequently  the  standard  of  living  of 
the  native  American — an  economic  argniment.  The 
affirmative  further  claims  that  the  New  Immigration 
tends  to  settle  in  a  few  states  and  cities,  and  within 
those  cities  in  the  slum  districts.  This  condition  is 
attended  by  ignorance  of  our  institutions,  with  no 
desire  to  become  citizens — a  political  argument.  It  is 
further  claimed  that  these  conditions  raise  a  serious 
question  of  race  deterioration;  that  the  infusion  of 
this  people  into  our  social  body  is  ''watering  the 
nation's  life  blood" — a  social  argument.  All  these 
points  the  negative  denies  or  qualifies,  and  believes 
that  there  is  a  better  remedy  for  any  evils  that  may 
attend  our  present  immigration  laws.     The  affirma- 


194  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

tive  and  negative  would  therefore  join  issue  on  these 
four  propositions : 

1.  Is  the  requirement  of  a  reading  test  for  immi- 
grants inherently  sound? 

2.  Is  it  demanded  on  economic  grounds? 

3.  Is  it  demanded  on  political  grounds? 

4.  Is  it  demanded  on  social  grounds? 

Team  work.  The  final  analysis  of  a  question  should 
of  course  be  worked  out  by  the  members  of  the  debat- 
ing team  together.  Remember  that  the  argument  of 
the  members  of  the  team  should  in  fact  be  a  single 
argument;  that  is,  there  should  be  team  work.  If 
such  an  analysis  were  reached  as  given  above,  for 
example,  and  if  there  are  two  members  to  a  team, 
as  is  the  case  in  most  interscholastic  debates,  the  first 
speaker  would  naturally  take  the  first  two  issues  as 
given  above,  and  the  second  speaker  the  latter  two. 
The  successful  debater  must  learn  to  rest  his  case 
on  one  or  two  fundamental  arguments,  to  thoroughly 
establish  these  arguments,  and  to  stick  to  them  during 
the  whole  debate. 

EXERCISES 

1.  Illustrate  the  value  of  the  study  of  debate  from  y^jur 
own  observation  and  experience. 

2.  Criticize  the  following  as  questions  for  debate : 

(1)  "Was  Demosthenes  a  greater  orator  than  Cicero? 

(2)  Is  domestic  science  of  greater  practical  value  than 
the  manual  arts  ? 


DEBATING  I95 

(3)  Resolved,  That  there  is  more  happiness  than  mis- 
ery in  life. 

(4)  Resolved,  That  written  term  examinations  should 
be  instituted  in  this  school. 

(5)  Resolved,  That  in  the  next  presidential  election 
democracy  should  be  triumphant, 

3.  Let  each  member  of  the  class  select  a  question  of  cur- 
rent discussion  and  prepare  a  written  statement  of  why 
the  subject  is  up  for  discussion  and  the  opinions  held  by 
each  side. 

4.  Point  out  how  much  definition  is  necessary  in  the  ^'ol- 
lowing  questions : 

(1)  Association  football  is  preferable  to  the  Rugby 
game. 

(2)  This  school  should  adopt  the  elective  system  of 
studies. 

(3)  Oral  English  should  be  a  required  study  in  all 
secondary  schools. 

5.  State  what  matters  more  or  less  related  to  the  follow- 
ing questions  may  properly  be  admitted  or  disregarded  in 
debate : 

(1)  The  honor  system  should  be  employed  in  all  high- 
school  examinations. 

(2)  Girls  should  be  allowed  to  participate  in  inter- 
scholastic  debates  on  equal  terms  with  boys. 

6.  On  the  basis  of  the  interests  involved — that  is,  the  stu- 
dents, the  faculty,  and  the  school — determine  the  main  is- 
sues in  this  proposition :  Secret  fraternities  should  not  be 
permitted  in  this  school. 


196  OR-'^L  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

7.  Let  each  member  of  the  class  analyze  an  assigned  ques- 
tion for  debate  (see  Appendix  II)  and  present  the  same  in 
either  oral  or  written  reports. 


LESSONS  91-95 

t — ^  Briefing  the  Question 

The  analysis  of  a  question  for  debate  should  be 
expanded  into  an  outline  of  the  argument  as  a  whole. 
An  outline  for  a  debate  is  called  a  brief,  and  it  differs 
radically,  both  as  to  form  and  elaborateness,  from  the 
skeleton  outline  for  an  extempore  speech,  as  given  in 
the  preceding  chapter.  By  common  consent  of  teach- 
ers the  form  of  a  brief  has  become  standardized,  and 
every  student  of  public  speaking  should  learn  to  cast 
an  outline  for  an  argument  into  such  form. 

A  brief  consists  of  the  three-fold  divisions  :  Intro- 
duction, Proof,  and  Conclusion.  The  Introduction 
sets  forth  the  analysis  of  the  question,  with  no  argu- 
ment, so  that  either  side  may  use  an  introduction  as 
the  starting  point  for  his  argument.  The  Proof  con- 
tains the  argument  proper,  made  up  of  main  headings 
and  subheadings,  the  latter  indented  to  indicate  their 
rank  in  the  proof-plan.  Each  heading  in  a  brief  must 
be  a  complete  sentence  and  contain  but  a  single  argu- 
ment. All  the  main  headings  (the  issues,  as  outlined 
in  the  introductory  analysis)  read  as  reasons  in  sup- 
port of  the  proposition  for  debate ;  and  all  sub-head- 
ings, in  turn,  support  the  heading  under  which  they 


DEBATING  I97 

are  grouped.  Thus,  a  brief  is  a  condensed  written 
argument,  containing  the  principal  points  and  sup- 
porting arguments  and  evidence  arranged  in  logical 
order.  The  Conclusion  consists  of  a  brief  summary 
of  the  main  points  in  the  proof. 

Below  is  given  a  specimen  brief  on  the  question  of 
compulsory  military  training.  Many  minor  argu- 
ments and  subheads  containing  supporting  evidence 
are  omitted.  Hence,  the  brief  that  follows  is  pri- 
marily a  specimen  as  to  form  only,      i 

Specimen  Form  for  a  Brief 

Question:  Resolved,  That  the  United  States  government 
should  adopt  a  system  of  compulsory  military  training. 

Introduction 

A.  Definition.  America's  participation  in  the  World 
War  has  brought  about  renewed  agitation  for  a  system  of 
universal  military  training  in  this  country.  "Universal" 
means  that  every  male  citizen,  physically  fit  and  not  other- 
wise exempted,  shall  be  required  to  devote  a  specified  time 
within  certain  age  limits.  (The  so-called  Chamberlain  Bill 
requires  a  total  of  six  months'  training  sometime  between 
the  ages  of  18  and  26.)  Military  training  means  preparation 
for  a  possible  call  to  military  service,  but  does  not  take  the 
place  of  military  service  in  our  regular  army  and  navy  dur- 
ing peace  times. 

B.  Waived  and  admitted  matter.  Both  sides  will  admit 
that  America  desires  international  peace ;  that  such  military 
preparedness  as  w^e  undertake  will  be  for  the  purpose  of 


198  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

defense  rather  than  aggression;  and  that  a  system  of  uni- 
versal military  training  is  intended  to  prepare  us  for  peace 
as  well  as  for  war.  The  negative  will  probably  also  admit 
that  future  wars  are  not  impossible. 

C.  Clash  of  opinion.  Those  favoring  military  training 
believe  in  the  principle,  "In  times  of  peace  prepare  for 
war";  that  the  volunteer  system  of  raising  recruits  par- 
ticularly for  modern  wars  will  prove  a  failure;  that  uni- 
versal military  training  is  democratic  in  principle,  and  that 
it  is  the  only  possible  way  of  providing  a  system  of  adequate 
defense. 

Those  opposing  universal  military  training  believe  that 
this  system  is  unnecessary  as  a  military  measure,  and  is 
opposed  to  one  of  the  main  issues  in  the  present  war,  that  of 
a  League  of  Nations  to  enforce  future  peace ;  that  the  train- 
ing of  some  five  million  to  ten  million  men  on  the  mere  con- 
tingency of  future  wars  is  unnecessary;  that  the  expense 
of  such  a  system  would  be  enormous  and  an  unjustifiable 
tax  burden ;  that  it  would  establish  the  spirit  and  system  of 
militarism  in  America,  the  very  thing  we  are  fighting  in  the 
present  war ;  that  it  is  opposed  to  democracy  in  that  it  would 
create  a  military  caste  arising  from  the  relation  of  officer 
and  private ;  and  that  it  will  not  promote  the  kind  of  dis- 
cipline and  obedience  that  is  needed  in  a  democracy. 

D.  Main  issues.  From  this  clash  of  opinion  we  may  de- 
duce the  following  issues: 


*o 


1.  Is  the  system  of  universal  military  training  justifiable 
on  principle? 

2.  Is  it  necessary  as  a  war  measure  ? 

3.  Is  it  desirable  as  a  peace  measure  ? 


DEBATING  I99 

Proof 

I.  Universal  military  training  is  justifiable  on  principle,  for : 

A.  The  American  doctrine  of  equality  of  opportunity  im- 
plies also  equality  of  obligation. 

B.  It  will  obliterate  class  distinctions,  for: 

1.  No  preferences  are  shown  as  between  high  or  low, 
rich  or  poor. 

2.  This  is  proven  by  the  experience  of  France  and 
Switzerland,  and  also  by  America's  experience  in 
the  World  War. 

II.  The  plan  proposed  is  necessary  as  a  military  measure, 
for: 

A.  "World  conditions  require  it,  for : 

1.  America  has  taken  her  place  as  a  world  power. 

2.  We  have  no  insurance  against  attack  by  a  foreign 
power,  for, 

a.  Modern  science — the  submarine,  for  example — 
has  overcome  the  protection  formerly  furnished 
by  the  oceans. 

b.  Countries  adjoining  the  United  States  might  be 
used  as  bases  for  invasion. 

B.  The  voluntary  system  of  raising  an  army  is  no  longer 
feasible,  for: 

1.  Modern  war  requires  a  highly  specialized  form  of 
training, 

2.  This  was  shown  by  the  experience  of  Belgium,  Eng- 
land, and  America  in  the  World  War. 


200  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

C,  In  case  of  war,  universal  military  training  will  supply 
our  entire  military  needs,  for : 

1.  Other  Republics,  such  as  Switzerland  and  France, 
have  found  it  successful. 

2.  A  million  or  more  men  come  of  military  age  in  the 
United  States  annually. 

3.  Allowing  for  exemptions,  a  few  years  would  pro- 
duce several  million  trained  men  within  the  age 
limits  of  19  and  25. 

ill.  The  plan  proposed  is  desirable  as  a  peace  measure,  for : 

A.  It  will  increase  the  physical  efficiency  of  our  citizens. 

B.  It  will  train  our  citizens  in  habits  of  obedience,  loyalty, 
and  team  work. 

C.  It  will  be  a  real  "melting  pot"  in  Americanizing  our 
citizens  of  foreign  extraction. 

Conclusion 

Since  universal  military  training  is  justifiable  on  prin- 
ciple, because  it  requires  equal  service  from  all  citizens  and 
would  eliminate  class  distinctions ;  since  this  system  is  neces- 
sary as  a  military  measure  in  order  to  be  prepared  against 
attack  by  a  foreign  foe,  because  the  voluntary  system  of 
recruiting  is  no  longer  feasible,  and  because  universal  mili- 
tary training  will  supply  our  entire  military  needs ;  and 
since  the  plan  proposed  is  desirable  as  a  peace  measure  be- 
cause it  will  increase  our  physical  efficiency,  train  our 
citizens  for  the  tasks  of  peace,  and  unify  us  as  a  nation, — 
therefore,  the  United  States  government  should  adopt  a 
system  of  universal  military  training. 


DEBATING 


201 


EXERCISES 

1.  Dictate  to  the  class  a  number  of  facts  or  statements 
relative  to  a  familiar  question,  unrelated  as  to  order  or 
grouping,  and  require  the  students  to  organize  this  matter 
into  a  brief. 

2.  Let  the  students  brief  selected  paragraphs  in  argu- 
mentative composition,  taken  either  from  the  English  litera- 
ture readings  or  elsewhere. 

3.  Assign  to  each  member  of  the  class  a  question  (see 
Appendix  II)  for  briefing  in  full  either  the  affirmative  or 
negative  side.  Have  the  members  of  the  class  exchange 
briefs  and  take  them  home  for  review  and  criticism.  After 
a  general  class  discussion  of  the  criticisms  offered,  let  the 
author  of  each  brief  revise  it  and  hand  in  to  the  teacher  for 
final  review  and  correction. 

It  is  desirable  at  this  point  to  plan  in  advance  for  class 
(or  society)  debates,  the  briefs  to  be  used  as  the  basis  for 
oral  arguments.  If  the  class  debates  are  planned  in  accord- 
ance with  the  usual  interscholastic  debate,  there  will  be  two 
speakers  on  each  side,  with  time  schedule  respectively  as 
follows : 

INTERSCHOLASTIC 
MAIN  SPEECHES  DEBATES  CLASS  DEBATES 


First  affirmative 
First  negative 
Second  affirmative 
Second  negative 


10  minutes 
10  minutes 
10  minutes 
10  minutes 


5  minutes 
5  minutes 
5  minutes 
5  minutes 


REBUTTAL     SPEECHES 

First  affirmative 
First  negative 
Second  affirmative 
Second  negative 
Affirmative  rejoinder 


INTERSCHOLASTIC 
DEBATES 

4  minutes 

5  minutes 

4  minutes 

5  minutes 
3  minutes 


CLASS    DEBATES 

3  minutes 
3  minutes 
3  minutes 
3  minutes 
2  minutes 


202  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Either  side,  if  it  so  desires,  may  reverse  the  order  of  its 
speakers  in  rebuttal  from  that  of  the  main  speeches;  and 
either  one  of  the  affirmative  speakers  may  take  the  closing 
rejoinder.  While  the  rules  in  interseholastic  debates  often 
vary  the  foregoing  schedule,  particularly  with  reference  to 
rebuttal  speeches,  it  is  the  better  plan  in  class  debates  to 
stress  rebuttal  work.  The  above  schedule  will  allow  a  neces- 
sary margin  of  time  in  a  class  meeting  for  review  and 
criticism. 


0 


LESSONS  96-97 
Constructive  Argiunents 


Arguments  are  established  by  means  of  proof. 
Mere  assertions  or  generalizations  will  not  do.  The 
main  proposition  underlying  your  arguments  must 
be  grounded  upon  facts,  and  when  facts  are  in  dis- 
pute, as  frequently  happens,  the  authority  for  a  state- 
ment of  fact  should  be  presented  and  shown  to  be 
reliable.  In  debating,  particularly, ' '  An  ounce  of  fact 
is  worth  a  pound  of  theory."  Other  things  being 
equal,  the  debater  who  has  the  best  array  of  facts  is 
the  one  wdio  wins  his  case.  In  listening  to  a  debate, 
the  instinctive  demand  of  the  hearers  is,  ''Show  us 
your  proof,  if  we  are  to  believe  your  side  of  the  ques- 
tion." 

Evidence. — Proof  consists  in  the  use  of  various 
kinds  of  evidence.  Evidence  may  be  what  is  called 
direct  or  testimonial ;  that  is,  the  direct  statement  of 
witnesses  or  experts  regarding  a  question ;  and,  sec- 


DEBATING  203 

ondly,  indirect  or  circumstantial  evidence,  whicli  con- 
sists of  inferences  drawn  from  fact;  that  is,  it  con- 
sists in  reasoning  about  facts. 

■  In  the  use  of  testimonial  evidence,  in  case  the  facts 
are  in  dispute,  the  nature  and  source  of  the  evidence 
should  be  examined  carefully,  and  the  best  evidence 
always  obtained  so  far  as  possible.  Thus,  if  a  witness 
has  no  personal  interest  in  the  matter  concerning 
which  he  is  testifying,  and  if  he  is  known  to  be  honest 
and  reliable,  this  will  give  his  testimony  more  weight 
than  might  otherwise  be  the  case.  So  far  as  the 
debater  is  concerned,  the  most  usual  form  of  testi- 
monial evidence  is  what  is  known  as  the  argument 
from  authority.  This  consists  of  quoting  testimony, 
both  as  to  the  facts  and  inferences  from  facts,  from 
men  and  books,  or  from  any  other  sources  that  have 
come  to  be  regarded  as  authoritative  on  the  question 
on  which  they  are  quoted.  The  test  of  argument  from 
authority  is:  (1)  Is  the  witness  unprejudiced  and 
reliable?  (2)  Is  the  person  or  document  an  authority 
on  the  particular  question  under  discussion?  and 
(3)  Are  they  so  regarded  by  his  hearers?  Thus,  the 
report  of  the  Immigration  Commission  is  excellent 
authority  on  any  immigration  question,  because  it  is 
the  work  of  an  expert  body  of  men  employed  by  the 
government  to  make  an  exhaustive  and  non-partisan 
study  of  our  immigration  problems.  And  one  of  the 
first  questions  to  ask  about  evidence  from  authority 
is.  Is  the  matter  quoted  the  finding  of  an  expert?    In 


204  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

the  use  of  evidence  from  authority,  the  source  and 
value  of  the  authority  quoted  should  be  briefly  indi- 
cated to  the  hearers.  Quoting  from  some  popular 
magazine,  or  from  some  John  Smith  of  whom  the 
audience  has  never  heard,  is  wholly  ineffective. 

Kinds  of  Constructive  Arguments 

Example. — Turning  to  circumstantial  evidence,  a 
familiar  kind  of  argument  is  that  from  example.  This 
is  a  process  of  reasoning  by  comparison — from  the 
known  to  the  unknown.  There  are  tw^o  common  forms 
of  this  kind  of  argniment :  Generalization  and  Anal- 
ogy. Generalization  is  the  process  by  which  a  conclu- 
sion drawn  from  facts  is  extended  to  facts  unknown 
and  unobserved.  For  example:  ''If  it  is  found  that 
several  cities  in  Texas  have  been  successful  with  the 
commission  form  of  government,  the  conclusion  may 
be  drawn  that  such  form  of  government  should  be 
adopted  in  other  cities  in  the  State.  The  tests  of  this 
argument  are:  (1)  Have  enough  examples  been  ob- 
served to  warrant  the  generalization!  and  (2)  Are 
the  examples  taken  typical  of  the  class?  That  is,  are 
conditions  similar  in  the  cities  that  have  and  those 
that  do  not  have  the  commission  form  of  government? 
If  either  of  these  tests  fail,  the  generalization  is 
invalid. 

Analogy. — The  argument  from  analog}^  is  based  on 
resemblance.  Its  most  common  use  by  debaters  is 
the  argument  that  because  a  certain  policy  has  sue- 


DEBATING  205 

ceeded  in  one  locality,  it  will  succeed  in  another  where 
conditions  are  the  same.  For  example:  If  Woman's 
Suffrage  has  been  successful  in  Colorado,  it  will  also 
be  successful  in  Texas.  In  using  this  argument,  the 
tests  are:  (1)  Has  the  policy  actually  succeeded  in 
the  case  or  cases  named?  and  (2)  Are  the  conditions 
of  the  two  localities  the  same  in  essential  particulars? 
Failure  to  establish  either  of  these  points  destroys 
the  force  of  the  analogy. 

Causal  relationship. — The  argument  from  causal 
relationship  is  one  of  the  most  common  forms  of 
argument  in  debating.  It  is  the  process  of  reasoning 
from  cause  to  effect,  and  from  effect  to  cause.  For 
example :  From  the  fact  of  the  building  of  the  Pan- 
ama Canal  and  the  large  sale  of  tickets  by  the  steam- 
sliip  companies  to  immigrants,  the  conclusion  is 
reached  that  there  wdll  be  a  large  influx  of  immigrants 
to  the  South  and  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  this  influx 
will  give  rise  to  labor  problems  and  problems  of 
assimilation.  This  is  reasoning  from  cause  to  effect. 
On  the  other  hand,  by  observing  the  bad  industrial 
and  social  conditions  in  some  of  the  Eastern  States, 
where  the  foreign  population  is  large,  the  debater 
may  come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  conditions  are 
caused  by  our  practically  unrestricted  European  im- 
migration. Such  a  conclusion  is  based  on  reasoning 
from  effect  to  cause.  Now  there  is  great  danger  in 
using  either  of  these  processes  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
other.     The  tests  of  the  value  of  the  argument  of 


206  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

causal  relation  are:  (1)  Is  the  cause  sufficient  to 
produce  the  alleged  effect!  (2)  Are  other  causes 
ignored  that  might  have  produced  a  similar  effect? 
A  failure  to  apply  these  tests  in  much  of  our  popular 
discussion  is  readily  apparent.  For  example :  An 
argument  that  a  given  tariff  produces  either  good 
times  or  hard  times  plainly  fails  to  take  account  of 
other  acting  causes. 

EXERCISES 

A.  From  your  own  observation  or  experience,  give  exam- 
ples of 

1.  Testimonial  evidence. 

2.  Circumstantial  evidence. 

B.  If  you  were  attempting  to  prove  that  the  Mexican 
people  do  or  do  not  desire  the  establishment  of  a  protectorate 
by  the  United  States  over  Mexico,  what  would  be  the  best 
evidence  to  present? 

C.  Mention  some  circumstantial  evidence  to  prove  that 
Germany  was  responsible  for  the  World  War. 

D.  Point  out  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  following 
testimonial  evidence : 

1.  A  German-American  wrote  to  Harper's  Weekly  on 
January  1,  1915,  as  follows:  "This  war  was  forced  upon 
Germany  by  the  machinations  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and 
Kussia. ' ' 

2,  Count  Lichnowsky,  German  Ambassador  to  Great 
Britain  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  says  that  he  attempted 
to  arrange  for  a  conference  of  European  powers  after  Aus- 


DEBATING  207 

tria  submitted  her  ultimatum  to  Serbia,  but  that  he  was 
blocked  in  his  efforts  by  his  superiors  at  Berlin. 

3.  Prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  the  German  ambassa- 
dor to  Turkey  told  the  American  ambassador,  Mr.  Morgan- 
tliau  (so  the  latter  states),  that  he  was  summoned  to  a  con- 
ference at  Potsdam  early  in  July,  1914,  the  Kaiser  presid- 
ing, at  which  time  the  imminence  of  a  European  war  was 
discussed  and  its  commencement  was  deferred  two  weeks 
upon  request  of  Germany's  bankers,  in  order  to  give  them 
time  to  call  in  their  foreign  loans. 


*&' 


E.  What  kinds  of  argument  are  used  in  the  following 
statements  ?    Point  out  any  fallacies  in  the  reasoning : 

1.  A  system  of  universal  military  training  has  proved 
desirable  for  Switzerland ;  therefore,  it  should  be  adopted 
in  the  United  States. 

2.  Nations,  like  individuals,  rise,  flourish,  and  decay;  we 
may  therefore  expect  the  ultimate  downfall  of  the  Ameri- 
can republic. 

3.  When  urged  to  change  a  certain  general  during  the 
Civil  War  Lincoln  said,  "Don't  swap  horses  in  the  middle 
of  a  stream, ' ' 

4.  We  all  drank  this  water  without  boiling  it,  and  none  of 
us  became  sick;  so  this  outcry  about  the  danger  of  typhoid 
is  all  nonsense. 

5.  A  democracy  cannot  care  for  a  colony  any  better  than 
a  debating  society  can  care  for  a  baby. 

6.  Those  who  say  that  athletic  victories  do  not  increase 
the  attendance  at  a  school  are  mistaken ;  for  in  the  last  six 
years  we  have  defeated  our  main  rival  in  football  five  times, 
and  in  that  period  the  number  of  students  here  has  increased 
from  200  to  500. 


208  OKAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

7,  If  one  breaks  a  mirror,  a  death  in  the  family  is  sure 
to  follow. 


LESSONS  98-99 
Refutation 

^  By  refutation,  or  rebuttal,  is  meant  the  answering 
of  opposing  arguments.  It  is  a  general  rule  in  debat- 
ing that  no  new  argument  can  be  introduced  in  the 
rebuttal  speech.  Additional  proof,  however,  may  be 
offered  in  answer  to  any  attack  upon  any  argument 
that  was  presented  in  the  speaker's  main  speech. 

The  principal  rule  of  good  rebuttal  is:  Ansiver 
only  the  strong  arguments  against  you.  And  this  is 
a  rule  tliat  it  is  very  difficult  to  carry  out  in  actual 
practice.  In  debating  any  question  there  are  various 
and  sundry  arguments  more  or  less  related  to  the 
question,  but  which  are  not  vital  enough  to  demand 
any  particular  attention,  if,  indeed,  any  attention  at 
all.  A  debater  should  try  to  avoid  a  scattering  effect 
in  rebuttal  work — hitting  at  various  points  without 
really  delivering  a  solid  shot  at  some  vital  point. 
The  best  form  of  rebuttal  is  the  strengthening  of  your 
argument  w^herever  it  has  been  attacked ;  recalling  the 
minds  of  the  hearers  to  the  main  issues ;  showing  that 
you  have  proved  your  case ;  showing  that  your  proof 
is  better  than  that  of  your  opponent;  that  the  lines 
of  argument  that  you  have  offered  are  vital  to  the 
discussion,  and  that  they  have  been  established. 


DEBATING  209 


Detecting  Fallacies 


Any  unsound  reasoning  is  known  as  a  fallacy.  The 
ways  of  detecting  fallacies  in  tlie  arguments  previ- 
ously mentioned  have  been  suggested  in  naming  the 
tests  of  each  of  these  arguments.  In  addition  to  the 
fallacies  which  may  be  detected  by  application  of 
these  tests,  there  are  certain  special  forms  which 
demand  a  moment 's  notice : 

Ignoring  the  question. — A  debater  ignores  the 
question  when  he  presents  evidence  which  has  no 
bearing  on  the  real  question  under  discussion.  The 
fallacy  consists  in  arguing  beside  the  point.  This  is 
illustrated  by  the  advice  given  to  a  young  attorney  in 
a  weak  case:  "Abuse  the  opposing  attorney."  So 
the  politician,  called  upon  to  reply  to  a  criticism  upon 
some  party  measure,  is  apt  to  indulge  in  vague  talk 
about  "Local  Self-Government, "  "The  Constitu- 
tion, ' '  and  the  like.  Another  way  of  ignoring  the  real 
question  at  issue  is  to  do  nothing  more  than  to  raise 
objections  to  the  arguments  presented  on  the  other 
side,  sometimes  called  the  "fallacy  of  objections." 
But  merely  raising  objections  is  no  argument  against 
a  claim,  provided  the  reason  for  it  is  as  favorable  as 
or  stronger  than  the  objection. 

Begging  the  question. — This  fallacy  consists,  gen- 
erally speaking,  in  asserting  what  is  to  be  proved. 
One  way  to  beg  the  question  is  by  the  use  of  ambigu- 
ous terms, — using  a  word  at  one  time  in  one  sense 


210  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

and  at  another  time  in  a  different  sense.  Again,  wliat 
is  known  as  arguing  in  a  circle,  is  probably  the  com- 
monest form  of  this  fallacy.  It  consists  in  assuming 
the  truth  of  a  conclusion  as  a  means  of  proving  it. 
For  example, ' '  A  prohibitory  law  should  be  enacted, 
for  this  is  the  only  way  to  control  the  liquor  traffic, ' ' 
begs  the  question,  since  the  reason  stated  really  as- 
sumes the  truth  of  the  main  question. 

Special  Methods  of  Refutation 

Reductio  ad  absurdum. — One  of  the  most  effective 
means  of  refutation  is  that  of  reducing  an  argument 
to  an  absurdity.  The  debater  assumes  for  the  mo- 
ment that  a  given  proposition  is  true,  and  then  points 
out  the  absurd  results  to  which  it  leads.  Whenever 
there  is  a  good  opening  for  the  employment  of  this 
method,  it  is,  by  reason  of  its  simplicity  and  direct- 
ness, together  with  the  humor  that  frequently  accom- 
panies it,  very  effective. 

The  dilemma. — This  is  really  a  special  form  of  the 
reductio  ad  absurdum.  It  arises  when  one  can  show 
that  an  opponent's  proposition  leads  to  one  of  alter- 
nate results,  and  then  can  show  the  absurdity  of  each 
of  these  results.  The  opponent  is  thus  placed,  as  it 
is  commonly  said,  *  *  between  the  horns  of  a  dilemma. ' ' 
He  who  uses  this  method  says,  in  substance,  "The 
argument  on  the  other  side  leads  to  one  of  two  re- 
sults," or  ''My  opponent  takes  these  two  positions. 


DEBATING  211 

neither  of  wliich  can  stand;  hence  his  contention 
falls."  The  danger  is,  that  the  case  in  point  may 
have  more  than  the  two  possible  outcomes.  But 
when  a  good  dilemma  is  found,  it  is  a  very  effective 
method  of  refutation. 

The  method  of  residues. — This  is  argument  which 
may  be  used  either  in  a  direct,  constructive  argument, 
or  in  rebuttal.  It  is  also  called  the  argument  of  logical 
exclusion.    The  debater  points  out  certain  prominent 
features  of  the  case  in  point,  and  makes  these  repre- 
sentative or  determinative  of  the  whole  case.    For 
example :  On  the  question  of  the  solution  of  the  Negro 
Problem,  a  student  argues  that  the  following  embrace 
all  the  possible  w^ays  of  solving  the  race  problem: 
(1)  Educate  the  Negro  and  recognize  him  as  an  equal 
co-citizen;  (2)  Let  the  two  races  amalgamate,  and 
become  one  race;  (3)  Let  the  Negro  remain  a  citizen 
in  name,  but  in  reality  an  inferior  and  servant ;  and 
(4)  Deport  him  to  one  of  our  island  possessions,  and, 
with  the  government's  aid,  let  him  work  out  his  own 
salvation.     He  then   argues   that   only  the  last   of 
these  plans  will  work.    The  tests  of  the  method  of 
residues  are :  (1)  All  possible  phases  of  the  question 
must  be  presented,  and  (2)  all  the  proposed  plans  or 
propositions  must  be  refuted  except  the  one  the  de- 
bater wishes  to  establish.    Whenever  a  question  lends 
itself  to  this  method,  it  is  very  effective  for  use  in  the 
opening  analysis  and  for  the  affirmative  argument, 
as  w^ell  as  in  rebuttal. 


A 


212  OKAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

EXERCISES  . 

A.  Let  the  members  of  the  class  point  out  the  method  of 
refutation  used  and  the  fallacies,  if  any,  in  the  following : 

1.  The  Declaration  of  Independence  says  that  all  men  are 
born  free  and  equal :  therefore,  the  negro  is  the  equal  of  the 
white  man. 

2.  So  you  s>Tnpathize  with  Germany  because  so  many 
nations  are  fighting  her  in  this  war :  I  suppose  you  would 
sympathize  with  a  highway  robber  because  three  policemen 
had  overpowered  him. 

3.  If  a  student  likes  his  studies  he  needs  no  stimulus ;  if 
he  dislikes  his  studies  no  stimulus  will  avail ;  but  a  student 
either  likes  his  studies  or  he  dislikes  them ;  therefore  stimu- 
lus is  either  not  necessary  or  it  is  of  no  avail. 

4.  There  are  three  possible  solutions  of  this  problem :  x,  y, 
and  z.  X  is  impossible,  y  is  absurd ;  therefore  z  represents 
the  only  possible  solution. 

B.  Let  the  students  gather  from  current  magazines  and 
newspapers  examples  of  fallacies  for  presentation  and  dis- 
cussion in  class. 

LESSONS  100-125 
Ethics  of  Debating 

There  are  two  cardinal  principles  of  debating 
which  should  always  be  kept  in  mind  and  put  into 
practice.  These  are:  (1)  Be  honest,  and  (2)  Be 
respectful  to  your  opponent  and  to  his  arguments. 

The  necessity  of  honesty  arises  in  tvs^o  ways :  in  the 
presentation  of  your  argument,  and  in  the  handling 


DEBATING  213 

of  that  of  your  opponent.  The  form  of  statement  of 
your  argimient  should  be  absolutely  your  own;  that 
is,  it  should  be  in  your  ov/n  language,  and  not  copied 
from  some  one  else.  Ideas  may  be  borrowed;  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  all  of  us  borrow  arguments  by  the 
wholesale ;  but  the  point  is,  the  way  of  stating  these 
arguments  should  be  your  own  w^ork.  Of  course,  if 
the  language  of  another  is  stated  as  quoted  matter, 
that  is  admissible.  Again,  whenever  you  have  occa- 
sion to  restate  an  argument  of  your  opponent,  state 
it  fairly.  In  this  respect  the  amateur  in  debate  needs 
especially  to  watch  himself.  In  the  first  place,  it  is 
foolish  to  say  that  your  opponent  said  so  and  so,  when 
your  hearers  know  better.  Any  appearance  of  un- 
fairness in  the  handling  of  your  opponent's  argument 
only  prejudices  the  hearers  against  your  ow^n  argu- 
ment. 

Good  debating  means  a  search  for  and  presentation 
of  the  truth  on  each  side  of  a  given  question.  In  a 
really  debatable  question  all  of  the  truth  is  never  on 
one  side.  The  very  idea  that  a  thing  is  debatable 
assumes  that  there  is  another  side.  Hence,  your 
opponents  and  their  arguments  should  always  be 
treated  with  respect.  Young  debaters  frequently 
make  the  mistake  of  opposing  everything  that  is  said 
on  the  other  side,  and  attempt  to  annihilate  an  oppo- 
nent instead  of  showing  him  his  errors.  It  is  said  of 
Lincoln  that  he  often  surprised  young  attorneys  by 
the  fair  and  strong  statement  of  his  opponent 's  case. 


214  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Whenever  a  debater  uses  such  expressions  as,  ''He 
gets  up  here  and  foolishly  asserts  so  and  so,"  *'He 
harps  about  this  point,"  etc.,  it  shows  that  he  has  a 
wrong  idea  of  what  debating  really  is,  and  the  wrong 
attitude  toward  those  on  the  other  side.  Other  exhi- 
bitions along  the  same  lines  are  shown  when  a  speaker 
dramatically  challenges  his  opponents  by  turning 
from  the  audience  and  addressing  them  alone,  accom- 
panied, perhaps,  by  a  quasi-withering  look  or  ges- 
ture ;  or  flaunts  an  authority  in  their  faces ;  or  other- 
wise conducts  himself  in  an  hysterical  manner  when 
there  is  no  special  cause  for  excitement,  and  when  his 
argument  would  be  far  more  effective  if  presented  in 
a  more  respectful  and  dignified  manner. 

Finally,  the  debaters  should  remember  that  the 
judges  are  more  competent  to  pass  upon  the  total 
effect  of  the  argument  on  each  side  than  are  the 
debaters  themselves.  The  right  principle  to  proceed 
on  is  to  do  the  best  you  can  in  presenting  your  argu- 
ment, and  leave  the  decision  absolutely  to  the  judges. 
Here  again  reference  is  had  more  particularly  to  the 
debates  in  an  interscholastic  contest.  Wrangling 
over  decisions  is  unsportsmanlike,  and  accomplishes 
nothing.  The  debater  should  take  to  heart  the  advice 
frequently  given  in  other  contests,  '*Be  a  good 
sport. ' '  And  in  debating,  as  in  other  things  in  life, 
it  is  fine  training  for  one  to  learn  how  to  lose  as  well 
as  how  to  win. 


DEBATING  215 

Delivery 

Should  the   debater  memorize  his   argument,  or 
should  he  speak  from  full  notes,  after  a  thorough 
study  of  the  question,  extemporizing  the  language  at 
the  time  of  its  delivery?    No  invariable  answer  to  this 
question  can  be  given  to  fit  all  cases.    Just  how  much 
a  debater  will  depend  on  a  memorized  arg-ument  will, 
in  turn,  depend  upon  the  individual.    For  the  main 
speech  the  average  high-school  student  will  need  to 
get  his  argument  pretty  w^ell  in  mind.    At  any  rate,  it 
will  be  necessary  for  him  to  write  it  out  in  advance, 
for  this  insures  orderliness  and  economizes  words. 
But  even  though  the  main  speech  be  memorized,  it  is 
an  excellent  plan  to  give  a  brief,  direct  reply  to  a 
preceding  speaker  in  opening  one's  main  speech,  and 
to  depart  from  a  prepared  speech  wdien  this  becomes 
necessary  to  meet  the  case  presented  by  the  opposite 
side.     In  any  event,  the  debater,  after  practice  in 
thinking  on  his  feet,  should  gradually  learn  not  to 
depend  on  a  cut-and-dried  speech.    In  refutation,  at 
least,  one  must  learn  to  depend,  at  least  in  part,  upon 
the  extemporaneous  method.    A  memorized  rebuttal 
that  does  not  fit  the  case  which  the  other  side  has 
presented,  is  ridiculous.    And  it  is  this  very  uncer- 
tainty, this  necessity  of  being  able  to  meet  quickly 
and  effectively  new  situations  as  they  arise  during 
the  give  and  take  of  a  debate,  that  renders  debating 
the  most  flexible,  and  withal  the  most  stimulating  and 
helpful,  of  all  forms  of  public  speaking.    \ 


216  OKAL  ENGLISH   AND   PUBLIC   SPEAKING 

EXERCISES 

A  thorough-going  course  in  argumentation  and  der,^te, 
such  as  might  well  be  offered  to  mature  students  in  the 
third  or  fourth  year  of  the  high  school,  should  include  an 
intensive  study  of  masterpieces  in  argumentation.  For  this 
purpose  the  speeches  of  Lincoln  may  well  be  used  as  models 
of  style.  The  Lincoln-Douglas  Debates  in  the  "Riverside 
Literature  Series"  (Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  Boston)  will 
furnish  a  convenient  text.  Following  are  the  opening  por- 
tions of  two  of  Lincoln's  history-making  speeches,  and  each 
tvill  serve  as  an  excellent  example  of  an  introduction  to  a  de- 
bate. Note  especially  his  fairness  to  the  other  side,  the  keen 
analysis  and  clear  statement  of  issues,  the  direct  discourse  by 
means  of  the  interrogatory,  and  the  simplicity  of  diction. 

"A  House  Divided  Against  Itself  Cannot  Stand" 

ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

The  introduction  to  Lincoln's  speech  of  acceptance  as  candidate 
for  United  States  Senator  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  June  17,  1858. 

Mr.  President,  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention : 

If  we  could  tirst  know  where  we  are,  and  whither  we  are 
tending,  we  could  better  judge  what  to  do,  and  how  to  do  it. 
"We  are  now  far  into  the  fifth  year  since  a  policy  was  initi- 
ated with  the  avowed  object,  and  confident  promise,  of 
putting  an  end  to  slavery  agitation.  Under  the  operation 
of  that  policy,  that  agitation  has  not  only  not  ceased,  but 
has  constantly  augmented.  In  my  opinion,  it  will  not  cease 
until  a  crisis  shall  have  been  reached  and  passed.  "A  house 
divided  against  itself  cannot  stand."  I  believe  this  govern- 
ment cannot  endure  permanently  half  slave  and  half  free, 
I  do  not  expect  the  Union  to  be  dissolved — I  do  not  expect 
the  house  to  fall — but  I  do  expect  it  will  cease  to  be  divided. 
It  will  become  all  one  thing,  or  all  the  other.     Either  the 


DEBATING  217 

opponents  of  slavery  will  arrest  the  further  spread  of  it, 
and  place  it  where  the  public  mind  shall  rest  in  the  belies 
that  it  is  in  the  course  of  ultimate  extinction ;  or  its  advo- 
cates will  push  it  forward,  till  it  shall  become  alike  lawful 
in  all  the  states,  old  as  well  as  new — North  as  well  as  South. 

Introductiox   to   Lincoln's   Address   at   Cooper's   Institute, 
New  York  City,  Febrlary  27,  1860: 

In  his  speech  last  autumn,  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  as  reported 
in  the  New  York  Times,  Senator  Douglas  said : ' '  Our  fathers, 
when  they  framed  the  government  under  which  we  live, 
understood  this  question  just  as  well,  and  even  better,  than 
we  do  now. ' ' 

I  fully  indorse  this,  and  I  adopt  it  as  a  text  for  this  dis- 
course. I  so  adopt  it  because  it  furnishes  a  precise  and 
agreed  starting-point  for  a  discussion  between  Republicans 
and  that  wing  of  the  Democracy  headed  by  Senator  Douglas. 
It  simply  leaves  the  inquiry :  What  was  the  understanding 
those  fathers  had  of  the  question  mentioned  ? 

What  is  the  frame  of  government  under  which  we  live? 
The  answer  must  be,  ''The  Constitution  of  the  United 
States."  .  .  .  Who  were  our  fathers  that  framed  the 
Constitution?  I  suppose  the  thirty-nine  who  signed  the 
original  instrument  may  be  fairly  called  our  fathers  who 
framed  that  part  of  our  present  government.  .  .  .  What  is 
the  question  which,  according  to  the  text,  those  fathers 
understood  ' '  just  as  well,  and  even  better,  than  we  do  now  ? ' ' 
It  is  this :  Does  the  proper  division  of  local  from  federal 
authority,  or  anything  in  the  Constitution,  forbid  our  fed- 
eral government  to  control  slavery  in  our  federal  terri- 
tories? Upon  this.  Senator  Douglas  holds  the  affirmative, 
and  the  Republicans  the  negative.  This  affirmation  and 
denial  form  an  issue ;  and  this  issue — this  question — is  pre- 
cisely what  the  text  declares  our  fathers  understood  "better 
than  we." 


APPENDIX 

PART  I 

Subjects  for  Speeches  and  Orations 

The  following  list  of  subjects  is  intended  for  speeches  of 
not  less  than  10  or  15  minutes  in  length.  For  shorter 
speeches,  suggestive  subjects  will  be  found  in  the  exercises 
at  the  close  of  Chapter  IV,  page  169.  In  many  instances,  the 
subjects  that  follow  should  be  restated  to  indicate  a  definite 
theme. 

1.  Democracy  and  Education. 

2.  Opportunities  for  Character-building  in  School  Life. 

3.  Weak  Places  in  Modern  Educational  Methods. 

4.  School  Politics  and  Preparation  for  Citizenship. 

5.  Mental  Indigestion. 

6.  The  Spoken  Word. 

7.  Our  Duty  to  Our  Mother  Tongue. 

8.  The  League  of  Nations  to  Enforce  Peace. 

9.  Germany  as  an  Outlaw  Among  the  Nations. 

10.  Valuable  By-products  That  Have  Come  to  America  as  a  Result  of 

the  World  War   (such  as  Thrift,  Conservation,  Social  Service, 
Team  Work,  etc.). 

11.  The  Woe  of  Belgium. 

12.  France — "The  Sweetheart  of  the  World." 

13.  Culture  and  Eultm. 

14.  The  Conflict  between  Anglo-Saxon  and  Teutonic  Civilizations. 

15.  The  Struggle  for  Liberty. 

16.  America  as  a  World  Power. 

17.  A  Comparison  of  the  Records  of  America  and  Germany  in  Rela- 

tion to  the  Uprising  in  China. 

18.  American  Diplomacy  in  the  Far  East. 

19.  Our  Future  Relations  with  the  South  American  Republics. 

20.  The  Future  of  Russia  (China,  Japan,  etc.). 

218 


APPENDIX  219 

21.  Democracy  and  Militarism. 

22.  The   Statesmanship   of  Edmund   Burke    (or  )    as   a 

Guide  for  Today. 

23.  The  Defense  of  the  Alamo, 

24.  The  Influence  of  Pericles  (or  of  Bismarck,  Gladstone,  Napoleon, 

Lincoln,  Lee,  etc.). 

25.  The  Development  of  a  Sense  of  Nationality  Among  the  American 

People. 

26.  The  American  vs.  the  English  Constitution. 

27.  The  Tyranny  of  the  Mob. 

28.  The  Abridgement  of   Freedom  of   Thought,   Speech,  and  of  the 

Press  in  Times  of  War. 

29.  The  Initiative  of  the  President. 

30.  The  Function  of  the  Agitator. 

31.  What  Social  Classes  Owe  to  One  Another. 

32.  The  American  Red  Cross. 

33.  The  American  Red  Star. 

34.  Charity,  Wise  and  Otherwise. 

35.  The  Right  to  Work. 

36.  The  Increased  Powers  and  Responsibilities  of  Labor  Organizations 

Resulting  from  the  War. 

37.  The  Gospel  of  Helpfuhiess. 

38.  The  Law  of  Service. 

39.  Competition  vs.  Cooperation. 

40.  War  and  Commerce. 

41.  Conquest  and  Christianity. 

42.  Materialism  vs.  Spirituality. 

43.  America  and  the  Orient. 

44.  The  Puritan  and  the  Cavalier. 

45.  The  New  Woman. 

46.  The  Twentieth  Century  Man. 

47.  American  Heroes. 

48.  as  a  Type  of  American  Citizenshiu. 

49.  New  National  Ideals. 

50.  Poverty  and  Crime. 

51.  The  Passing  of  the  Saloon. 

52.  The  Little  Red  Schoolhouse. 

53.  The  Power   of   Public   Opinion. 

54.  '"A  Message  to  Garcia." 

55.  The  Common  People. 


220  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

56.  The  Heroes  of  Obscurity. 

57.  The  Clergyman  in  Politics. 

58.  The  Civilizing  Influence  of  the  Engineer. 

59.  The  Hour  and  the  Man. 

60.  National  Progress  and  Efficiency. 

61.  The  Eight  of  a  Country  to  Be  Inefficient  if  It  So  Chooses. 

62.  The  Yellow  Peril. 

63.  Czar  and  Bolshevik. 

64.  The  Age  of  the  Young  Man. 

65.  The  Growth  of   Socialism  in   America. 

66.  Needed  Changes  in  Our  Immigration  Laws. 

67.  Needed  Changes  in  Our  Treatment  of  Immigrants. 

68.  The  Decline  of  England  as  Eevealed  by  the  War. 
89.  Ireland,  Her  Own  Worst  Enemy. 

70.  The  Patriotism  of  Labor  Leaders  as  Shown  by  the  War. 

71.  The  Eights  of  the  Industrial  Workers  of  the  World. 

72.  The  New  Diplomacy  Under  America's  Leadership. 

73.  The  Bully  vs.  the  Leader  in  International  Eelations. 

74.  Nationalism  vs.  Internationalism. 


PART  U 

Questions  for  Debate 

The  following  classified  list  of  questions  for  debate  is 
suitable,  for  the  most  part,  for  class  exercises ;  a  large  pro- 
portion of  them  having  been  tested  in  this  way.  It  will 
often  be  found  advantageous  to  limit  general  propositions 
to  a  particular  locality  or  state. 

School  Interests 

1.  The  school  board  should  take  steps  to  erect  a  new  high-school 

building. 

2.  Excepting  English,  the  fully  elective  system  of  studies  should  be 

introduced  into  all  American  high  schools. 

3.  Oral  English  should  be  required  in  all  grammar  and  high-school 

classes. 

4.  On  the  score  of  mental  training  public  speaking  is  more  valuab/e 

than  mathematics. 


APPENDIX  221 

5.  As  a  preparation  for  life  oral  composition  is  more  valuable  than 

written  composition. 

6.  Oral  reading  should  be  a  required  study  during  the  first  year  of 

high  school. 
1 .  English  grammar  should  be  required  in  the  high  school. 

8.  Economics  should  be  taught  in  the  high  schools. 

9.  This   school   should   adopt   the   "Honor   System"   in   conducting 

examinations. 

10.  The  pupils  of  a  high  school  should  be  a  self-governing  body. 

11.  Literary  society  -work  should  be  required  of  all  high-school  students. 

12.  This  school  should  have  a  printing  press   (swimming  tank,  lunch 

room,  lantern  for  slides,  moving  picture  projector,  free  text- 
books, etc.). 

13.  Compulsory  manual  training  should  be  introduced  into  all  grammar 

and  high-school  curricula. 

14.  Girls  in  the  high  school  should  be  required   to   take   courses   in 

domestic   science. 

15.  Is  the  study  of  Greek  and  Latin  essential  to  a  liberal  education? 

16.  The  teaching  of  a  foreign  language  should  not  be  permitted  in 

grades  below  the  high  school. 

17.  The  study  of  the  German  language  should  be  excluded  from  the 

American  high  schools  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 

18.  Military  exercises  and  drill  should  be  taught  in  the  high  school. 

19.  At  high-school  graduation  exercises  there  should  be  no  speaking 

by  members  of  the  graduating  class. 

20.  Secret  fraternities  should  not  be  i)eriiiitted  in  a  high  school. 

21.  High-school  girls  should  adopt  a  uniform  dress. 

22.  Final  examinations  should  be  abolished. 

23.  The  "Merchant  of  Venice"  on  the  whole  portrays  the  Jews  in  a 

more  favorable  light  than  the  Christians.     (Write  propositions 
based  on  other  books  in  the  required  English  literature  studies.) 

24.  The  work  of  students  on  the  school  paper  and  in  the  literary  soci- 

eties should  count  as  credit  towards  their  graduation. 

25.  The   list   of   words   approved   by   the    Simplified    Spelling   Board 

should  be  generally  adopted  in  the  United  States. 

26.  Interscholastic  athletics  are  desirable. 

27.  Boxing  should  be  introduced  as  a  high-school  sport. 

28.  Football  affords  a  good  preparation  for  life. 

29.  Passball  should  be   substituted  for  football. 

30.  The  mile  run  and  the  hammer  throw  should  be  abolished. 


222  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

31.  Baseball   offers   a   better   opportunity   for   mental   training   than 

any  of  the  regular  studies  in  this  school. 

Local  Interests 

32.  We  should  have  a  new  school  house  (City  Hall,  public  bath-house, 

jail,  bridge,  library  building,  etc.). 

33.  Theatres  should  be  closed  on  Sunday. 

34.  Moving  picture   shows  should  be   allowed  to  operate   on   Sunday 

afternoon  and  evening. 

35.  This  town   (or  community)    should  have  a  monthly  clean-up  day. 

36.  Large  cities  should  have  women  as  well  as  men  on  the  police  force. 

37.  Smoking  should  not  be  allowed  on  street  ears. 

38.  Pigs  should  not  be  allowed  within  the  city  limits. 

39.  The   keeping   of   chickens    (horses,   cows,    dogs,   etc.)    within   the 

city  limits  should  be  further  restricted  by  law.  Specific  re- 
strictions should  be  recommended. 

40.  Billiard  and  pool  rooms  should  not  be  allowed  in  the  city. 

41.  streets  should  be  paved  at  once. 

42.  This  city  should  annex  the  suburb  of . 

43.  Sunday  baseball  should  not  be  permitted  on  the  play  grounds  of 

this  city. 

44.  This  town  should  have  a  public  market. 

45.  We  should  have  a  curfew  ordinance  requiring  all  children  under 

16  years  of  age  to  be  off  the  streets  by  9  o'clock  at  night,  unless 
accompanied  by  a  parent  or  someone  representing  the  i^arents. 

Government,  Economics  and  Sociology 

46.  In  the  next  Presidential  election  the  candidate  of  the party 

should  be  elected. 

47.  The  discrimination  against  the  Chinese  in  our  immigration  laws 

is  unjustifiable. 

48.  The  Chinese  Exclusion  law  should  be  extended  to  the  Japanese. 

49.  Every  citizen  or  alien  of  German  extraction  who  believes  that  the 

system  of  government  in  Germany  is  better  than  that  of  the 
United  States  should  be  required  to  return  to  Germany,  free 
transportation  by  our  Government  being  given  when   desired. 

58.  The  United  States  Government  should  establish  a  protectorate- 
over  Mexico. 

51.  The  "Jim  Crow"  laws  in  the  Southern  states  are  unjustifiable. 


APPENDIX  223 

52.  The  white  citizens  of  the  Southern  states  are  justified  in  taking 

all  peaceful  steps  to  insure  their  political  supremacy. 

53.  Labor  unions  are  for  the  best  interests  of   the   laboring  classes. 

54.  The  tyranny   of   organized   labor   is   more   threatening   than   the 

tyranny  of  "Big  Business." 

55.  Government  by  commission   (similar  to  that  of  Galveston,  Texas, 

or )  should  be  generally  adopted  by  the  cities  of  the 

United  States. 

56.  The  business-manager  plan  of  city  government  similar  to  that  of 

Dayton,  Ohio  (or ),  should  be  generally  adopted 

by  the  cities  of  the  United  States. 

57.  The  President  of  the  United  States  should  be  elected  for  a  term 

of  six  years  and  should  not  be  eligible  for  re-election. 

58.  The  several  states  should  adopt  the  initiative  and  referendum. 

59.  The  suffrage  should  require  educational  qualifications. 

60.  Women  should  be  granted  the  suffrage  on  equal  terms  with  men. 

61.  The    various    state    governments   should   provide    for    compulsory 

voting. 

62.  Independent  political  action  is  preferable  to  party  loyalty  as  a 

means  of  securing  a  reform. 

63.  The  United  States  Government  should  own  and  operate  all  inter- 

state railroads  (telephone  and  telegraph  systems,  express  com- 
panies, etc.). 

64.  All  postmasters  should  be  elected  by  popular   vote   of  the   com- 

munity that  they  serve. 

65.  A  nation  advanced  in  civilization  is  justified  in  the  interests  of 

humanity  at  large  in  enforcing  its  authority  upon  an  inferior 
nation. 

66.  Germany  is  justified  in  demanding  a  "sphere  of  influence"  in 

Eussia. 

67.  The  United  States  should  resist — by  force,  if  need  be — the  colon- 

ization of  South  America  by  any  European  power. 

68.  The  annexation   of   Canada   to   the   United   States,   if   peaceably 

effected,  would  be  to  the  best  interests  of  both  countries. 

69.  The  time  has  now  arrived  when  the  Monroe  Doctrine  should  be 

abandoned. 

70.  The    United    States    should    permanently    retain    the    Philippine 

Islands. 

71.  All  immigrants  to  this  country  who  cannot  read  and  write  some 

language  should  be  excluded. 


224  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

72.  The  federal  government  should  be  empowered  to  compel  the  arbi- 

tration  of   disputes   between   public   service   corporations    and 
organized  labor. 

73.  The   cities   of   the   United   States  should   own   and   operate   their 

street  railway  systems. 

74.  The  United  States  and  the  several  states  should  have  an  inheri 

tance  tax. 

75.  This  state  should  adopt  a  system  of  old  age  pensions. 

76.  The  several  states  should  establish  minimum  wage  schedules  for 

unskilled  laborers. 

77.  The  tenet  of  socialism  to  the  effect  that  the  government  should 

own  and  control  the  sources  of  production  and  agencies  of  dis- 
tribution is  correct. 

78.  The  single  tax  system  should  be  generally  adopted. 

79.  Switzerland  has  a  better   form  of  government   than  the   United 

States. 

80.  The   United  States   Government  should   adopt  universal  military 

training  similar  to  the  Swiss  system. 

81.  The  English  system  of  government  is  preferable  to  that  of  the 

United  States. 


Historical  and  Miscellaneous 

82.  The  Norsemen   discovered  America. 

83.  In   our   war  with   Mexico   the   United   States  was   an   unjustified 

aggressor. 

84.  The  imprisonment  of  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena  was  justifiable. 
S5.  Lincoln's  plan  of  reconstruction  was  preferable  to  the  congres- 
sional plan. 

86.  John  Brown's  raid  did  more  harm  than  good. 

87.  The  administration  of  Andrew  Jackson  did  more  harm  than  good 

to  this  country. 

88.  The   State  of   California  is  justified  in   her   stand   against   land 

ownership  by  aliens. 

89.  The  advertisement  of  patent  medicines   should  be  prohibited  by 

law. 

90.  Was    the    invasion    of    Belgium   by    Germany    justifiable    on    the 

ground  of  ' '  military  necessity ' '  f 

91.  Excessive  and  unjustifiable  loyalty  to  country  caused  the  "World 

War, 


APPENDIX  225 

92.  Loyalty  to  one's  country  is  of  greater  importance  than  loyalty 

to  humanity  at  large. 

93.  In  place  of  competitive  armaments  for  national  defense,  the  United 

States  should  stand  for  collective  armaments  for  international 
defense  against  future  wars. 

94.  The  United  States  should  refuse  to  go  to  war  for  any  cause  what- 

soever  without   first   referring   disputes   with   foreign   nations 
to  some  tribunal. 

95.  A  declaration  of  war  should  be  made  only  by  popular  vote. 


PART  III 

Eules  for  Interscholastic  Debates 

1.  Eligibility. — The  debating  team  representing  each 
school  shall  consist  of  two  students  in  the  same  school,  who 
have  passing  grades  in  at  least  three  studies  at  the  time  of 
a  contest.  Former  winners  of  first  honors  in  the  state  con- 
test are  barred. 

2.  Question  for  debate. — Unless  by  consent  of  both  teams 
concerned,  the  question  in  all  preliminary  debates  shall  be 
the  one  assigned  for  the  final  contest ;  and  all  debaters  shall 
be  prepared  to  speak  on  either  side  of  this  question. 

3.  Choice  of  sides. — In  all  contests  sides  shall  be  deter- 
mined either  by  mutual  consent  or  by  lot.  Whenever  a 
series  of  preliminary  contests  are  held,  the  winning  teams 
in  a  given  contest  shall  immediately  choose  sides  for  the 
next  contest. 

4.  Coaching  for  debate. — Aside  from  the  bulletins  and 
loan  material  furnished  by  the  State  University,  and  other 
reading  matter,  the  assistance  furnished  contestants  in  pre- 
paring debates  shall  not  exceed  the  following:  (a)  aid  in 
outlining  the  arguments;  (b)  citing  sources  of  informa- 
tion; (c)  correcting  errors  in  English ;  and  (d)  suggestions 
as  to  delivery.  Whenever  a  debater  quotes  at  any  length 
the  words  of  another,  that  fact  must  be  plainly  stated. 


226  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Proof  that  either  member  of  a  debating  team  has  received 
assistance  other  than  as  above  specified,  or  that  quoted  mat- 
ter is  used  without  giving  due  credit  therefor,  shall  dis- 
qualify such  team  in  all  league  contests  for  that  year. 

5.  Coaching  during  a  debate. — In  all  contests  the  debaters 
shall  be  separated  from  the  audience  and  shall  receive  no 
coaching  while  the  debate  is  in  progress.  By  *' coaching" 
is  meant  viva  voce  or  other  prompting  either  by  the  speak- 
er's colleague  or  by  any  other  person.  A  debater  may,  how- 
ever, refer  to  his  notes  or  manuscript  when  desired. 

6.  Exclusion  of  interested  schools. — It  shall  be  considered 
dishonorable  for  the  students  or  teachers  of  one  school  to 
visit  the  debates  of  another  when  the  two  schools  are  likely 
to  meet  on  the  same  question.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
presiding  officer  to  enforce  this  rule,  and  in  case  of  its  wilful 
violation,  such  school  shall  be  debarred  from  further  con- 
tests for  that  year. 

7.  No  interruption  of  speal'ers. — A  speaker  shall  not  be 
interrupted  in  any  manner  while  he  is  speaking,  either  by 
cheers  or  otherwise,  and  the  presiding  officer  shall  see  that 
this  rule  is  strictly  enforced.  However,  sincere  and  court- 
eous cheering  at  the  close  of  a  speech  is  allowable  and  desir- 
able. 

8.  The  time  and  order  of  speeches  shall  he  as  follows: 

MAIN 

Affirmative,    10    minutes. 
Negative,  10  minutes. 
Affirmative,   10   minutes. 
Negative,  10  minutes. 

REBUTTAL 

Affirmative,  4  minutes. 
Negative,  5  minutes. 
.  Affirmative,  4  minutes. 

Negative,  5  minutes. 
Affirmative  rejoinder,  3  minutes. 


APPENDIX  227 

Either  side,  if  it  so  desires,  may  reverse  the  order  of  its 
speakers  in  rebuttal  from  that  of  the  main  speeches;  and 
either  one  of  the  affirmative  speakers  may  take  the  closing- 
rejoinder. 

9.  Judges. — The  judges  of  the  debate  shall  be  three,  five, 
or  seven  in  number,  selected  on  the  basis  of  capability  and 
impartiality.  [Note. — Whenever  practicable,  at  least  five 
judges  should  be  appointed.]  The  judges  shall  sit  apart 
during  a  contest,  in  order  to  hear  the  speakers  from  different 
parts  of  the  auditorium, 

10.  Schools  represented  not  to  he  known  by  the  judges. — 
So  far  as  possible,  the  judges  shall  not  know  the  school  a 
debating  team  represents,  the  contestants  being  designated 
as  being  on  the  "affirmative"  or  '^ negative"  side. 

11.  Instruction  to  judges. — A  copy  of  the  following  in- 
structions shall  be  given  to  each  judge:  ''The  judges,  who 
shall  sit  apart  during  the  debate,  shall  judge  the  contest  as 
a  debate,  voting  without  consultation  'Affirmative'  or  'Nega- 
tive' on  the  merits  of  the  debate,  irrespective  of  their  indi- 
vidual opinions  as  to  the  merits  of  the  question.  In  deciding 
which  team  has  done  the  more  effective  debating,  the  judges 
shall  take  into  consideration  argument  and  delivery  in  both 
main  and  rebuttal  speeches.  In  cases  of  doubt  (that  is, 
where  the  two  teams  are  about  equally  balanced)  argument 
shall  be  stressed  relatively  more  than  delivery  and  rebuttal 
work  more  than  the  main  speeches.  At  the  close  of  the  de- 
bate each  judge  shall  indicate  his  choice  by  ballot  and  deliver 
it  to  the  presiding  officer,  who  shall  inspect  the  ballots  in 
the  presence  of  a  representative  of  each  school  and  announce 
the  decision." 


228  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 


PART  IV 

Model    Constitution    and    By-Laws    for    a    Literary    or    Debating 

Society 

FOREWORD 

The  following  Constitution  and  By-Laws  have  been  prepared  pri- 
marily for  an  organization  of  students  in  a  school,  but  may  readily 
be  adapted  to  meet  the  needs  of  other  organizations  with  a  similar 
purpose,  and  should,  of  course,  also  be  modified  by  school  organizations 
in  accordance  with  the  demands  of  local  conditions.  Punning  com- 
ments and  suggestions  are  given  in  small  type  enclosed  in  brackets. 

Constitution  of  the Literary  Societ-^ 

Preamble 

We,  the  students  of  the School,  appreciating  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  an  association  which  will  give  us  prac- 
tice in  composition,  declamation,  extempore  speaking,  debating,  and 
parliamentary  practice,  do  hereby  organize  ourselves  into  a  literary 
society  for  such  purpose,  and  agree  to  be  governed  by  the  following 
Constitution  and  By-Laws: 

Article  I. — Name 

This  Society  shall  be  known  as  ' '  The Society  of  the 

Schodi. ' '    Its  motto  shall  be ,  and  its  colors 


[It  is  not  necessary  to  have  a  motto  or  colors.] 

Article  II. — Memters 

Section  1.  Membership  in  this  Society  shall  be  cither  active  or 
honorary. 

Section   2.     Any  male  student  of School  may  become  an 

active  member  of  this  Society  by  election  at  any  regular  meeting, 
provided  three  members  do  not  vote  against  him,  and  by  the  payment 
of  the  initiation  fee  the  By-Laws  prescribe. 

[It  is  usually  better  to  have  boys  and  girls  organized  in  separate 
societies.] 


APPENDIX  229 

Section  3.  Any  person  may  become  an  honorary  member  of  this 
Society  by  election  at  any  regular  meeting,  provided  three  votes 
do  not  appear  against  him.  An  honorary  member  shall  be  exempt 
from  the  payment  of  any  initiation  or  other  fee,  and  shall  be  entitled 
to  all  the  privileges  of  an  active  member,  except  voting  and  holding 
office;  'provided,  however,  that  an  honorary  member  may  be  elected 
to  the  office  of  Critic. 

[It  is  well  to  interest  certain  older  people  in  the  work  of  the  So- 
ciety by  electing  several  honorary  members  who  will  be  willing  to 
attend  meetings  often,  to  act  as  critics,  and  to  give  advice.] 

Article  III. — Officers 

Section  1.  The  officers  of  this  Society  shall  be  a  President,  Vice- 
President,  Secretary,  Treasurer,  Critic,  and  Sergeant-at-Arms. 

Section  2.  The  officers  shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  by  majority 
vote.  Their  terms  of  office  shall  be  identical  with  the  school  terms, 
and  no  person  shall  be  eligible  to  the  same  office  two  successive  terms, 
except  that  the  Critic,  if  he  be  an  honorary  member,  may  be  re-elected. 

[Assuming  that  the  school  year  consists  of  three  terms,  there 
would  be,  as  this  section  is  drawn,  three  sets  of  officers  each  year. 
It  is  well  to  have  a  change  of  officers  each  term,  so  that  more  men 
are  given  experience  in  the  offices.  However,  if  the  school  year  is 
not  divided  into  three  terms,  but  into  four  quarters,  each  set  of 
officers  should  serve  about  eight  weeks,  so  as  to  have  four  sets  a 
year.  This  is  enough.  It  may  be  advisable  to  fix  definite  dates  for 
the  meeting-periods.  Do  not  make  them  too  long.  Avoid  encroach- 
ing upon  examination  week  or  the  holiday  season,  and  especially  avoid 
prolonging  the  spring  term  meetings  too  far  into  the  warm  weather. 
Let  the  periods  for  society  work  be  short,  vigorous,  and  full  of  life 
while  they  last.] 

Section  3.  The  officers  shall  be  elected  and  installed  at  the 
last  meeting  of  each  term. 

Section  4.  If  a  vacancy  occurs  in  any  office,  the  Society  shall 
forthwith  hold  an  election  to  supply  such  vacancy.  The  officer  so 
elected  shall  be  installed  at  once. 


Article  IV. — Duties  of  Officers 

Section  1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  preside  at 
all  meetings;  to  appoint  officers  ?jro  tempore;  to  appoint  all  commit- 
tees not  otherwise  provided  for;   to  hear  and  pass  upon  excuses  for 


230  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

absence,  non-performance  of  duty,  disorder,  etc.;  to  see  that  all  meet- 
ings are  conducted  in  an  orderly  manner  and  that  parliamentary  pro- 
cedure and  this  Constitution  and  By-Laws  are  duly  followed. 

Section  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Vice-President  to  perform 
all  the  duties  of  the  President  in  the  absence  of  the  latter. 

Section  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  to  call  the  roll 
of  members  at  each  meeting  and  note  all  absences;  to  keep  a  record 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  Society  at  each  meeting  and  to  read  the 
same  from  the  minute  book  at  the  following  meeting;  to  furnish 
the  President  at  each  regular  meeting  with  a  list  of  all  members, 
officers,  or  committees  that  have  special  duties  to  perform  or  reports 
to  make  or  that  have  failed  to  perform  their  duties;  to  do  the  corre- 
spondence for  the  Society  not  otherwise  provided  for;  to  give  notice 
of  special  meetings,  and  to  perform  such  other  duties  pertaining  to 
his  office  as  may  be  required  of  him  by  the  Society. 

Section  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer  to  take  charge  of 
all  moneys  belonging  to  the  Society;  to  keep  an  accurate  account 
of  all  receipts  and  expenditures,  and  at  the  last  regular  meeting  of 
his  term  of  office  to  make  a  report  of  such  receipts  and  expenditures, 
■which  shall  be  included  by  the  Secretary  in  the  minutes;  and  to  turn 
over  to  his  successor  in  office  all  books,  moneys,  and  other  property  in 
his  possession  belonging  to  the  Society. 

[The  Society  should  buy  for  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  suitable 
record  books.  The  Secretary  should  be  jirovided  with  two  books,  one 
for  recording  the  minutes  and  the  other  to  contain  a  copy  of  the 
Constitution  and  By-Laws  and  the  signatures  of  members  received 
from  time  to  time.  These  books  should  be  large  and  well  bound; 
it  is  always  interesting  and  sometimes  necessary  to  have  the  old  books 
to  which  to  refer.] 

Section  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Critic  to  comment  upon  the 
literary  exercises  at  each  meeting,  offering  criticisms  and  suggestions 
for  the  good  of  the  Society  and  its  members. 

[As  previously  suggested,  an  honorary  member  may  be  the  regu- 
larly elected  Critic.  Sometimes  it  is  advisable  to  appoint  some  visitor 
as  Critic  for  a  particular  meeting.] 

Section  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  to  act 
as  doorkeeper;  to  distribute  and  collect  ballots  in  voting;  to  enforce 
the  orders  of  the  Chair,  and  to  report  to  the  Chair  the  names  of  all 
members  guilty  of  disorderly  conduct,  the  names  of  those  who  leave 
the  room   during  the  exercises  without  the  permission  of  the  Chair, 


APPENDIX  231 

and  of  those  who  in  any  manner  interfere  with  the  proceedings  of  the 
Society. 

Article  V. — Program  Committee 

At  the  first  meeting  of  his  term  of  office,  the  President  shall  ap- 
point two  persons  who,  together  with  himself,  shall  act  as  a  Pro- 
gram Committee.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Committee  to  make  out 
the  programs  for  the  literary  exercises,  including  the  selection  of 
questions  for  debate,  and  report  each  program  to  the  Society  at  least 
two  weeks  in  advance.  This  Committee  shall  so  arrange  its  pro- 
grams as  to  place  each  active  member  upon  a  program  at  as  regular 
intervals  as  is  practicable.  The  Society  may  modify  or  completely 
change  any  program  in  the  meeting  at  which  it  is  reported.  Each 
Program  Committee  shall  hold  office  until  the  first  meeting  of  the  suc- 
ceeding term. 

[It  will  frequently  be  advisable  to  place  a  teacher  or  other  honorary 
member  upon  the  Program  Committee.  The  Committee  should  have 
some  regular  place  to  post  the  programs  for  two  weeks  in  advance, 
so  that  no  member  can  fail  to  know  when  he  is  to  appear.  The  Pro- 
gram Committee  holds  over  one  week  after  the  installation  of  officers 
in  order  that  the  continuity  of  programs  may  not  be  destroyed.] 

Article  VI. — Amendments 

This  Constitution  may  be  amended  at  any  regular  meeting  by  two- 
thirds  vote  of  members  present  and  voting,  provided,  however,  that 
a  proposed  amendment  must  be  submitted  in  writing  at  a  regular 
meeting  and  lie  on  the  table  at  least  one  week. 


By-Laws 
Article   I. — Meetings 

Section  1.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  on 
of  each  week  at o'clock. 

Section  2.  A  special  meeting  may  be  called  by  the  President  on 
his  own  motion  and  must  be  called  upon  request  of  five  members.  The 
President  shall  see  that  the  Secretary  gives  due  notice  of  such  meeting. 

Section  3.  One-third  of  the  active  members  shall  constitute  a 
quorum. 

Section  4.     All  questions  of  parliamentary  procedure  not  provided 


232  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

for  in  the   Constitution   and  By-Laws  and  in  this  Bulletin  shall   be 
governed  by  Eoberts'  "Rules  of  Order." 

Article  II. — Order  of  Business. 

Sectiox  1.     The  regular  meetings  of  the  Society  shall  observe  the 
following  order  of  procedure: 

1.  Roll  call. 

2.  Reading  and  adoption  of  minutes. 

3.  Installation  of  officers. 

4.  Election  and  initiation  of  members. 

5.  Literary  exercises: 

a.  Music. 

b.  Oration  or  declamation   (or  both). 

c.  Appointment  of  judges  in  debate. 

d.  Debate. 

e.  Decision  of  Judges. 

f.  Extemporaneous   discussion    (three-minute  limit)    and  par- 

liamentary practice. 

g.  Critic's  report. 

6.  Hearing  of  excuses  for  absence,  tardiness,  etc. 

7.  Reports  of  committees. 

8.  Reports  of  officers. 

9.  Election  of  officers. 

10.  Unfinished   business. 

11.  New  business. 

12.  Suggestion  for  good  of  Society  (including  addresses  by  ^dsitors). 

13.  Reading  of  programs  for  next  two  meetings. 

14.  Adjournment. 

[Nos.  3  and  9  will,  of  course,  be  passed  over  except  at  certain  meet- 
ings, and  the  literary  program  will  be  modified  as  desired.  The  oration 
or  declamation  should  not  be  more  than  five  or  six  minutes  in  length — 
especially  if  both  are  included  in  a  program.  The  Program  Commit- 
tee should  guard  against  making  the  exercises  so  long  that  they  be- 
come tiresome.  Let  the  program  be  relatively  short  and  snappy.  One 
or  two  public  programs  sJiould  be  arranged  each  year.  These  might 
well  include,  by  arrangement  with  the  school  authorities,  the  final  pre- 
liminary contests  in  debate  and  declamation  for  interscholastic  contests. 
Get  citizens  to  offer  prizes  to  the  winners  in  the  local  contests.] 

Section  2.  In  the  regular  debates  of  this  Society  there  shall  be 
three  speakers  on  each  side.  Each  speaker  shall  have  six  (6)  minutes 
for  the  main  speeches,  alternating  affirmative-negative,  and  the  leader 


APPENDIX  233 

on  each  side  shall  have  three  (3)  minutes  for  rebuttal  after  the  main 
speeches  are  finished,  the  affirmative  leader  having  the  last  rebuttal. 

[  The  time  as  given  may  be  varied  as  desired,  but  it  should  be  short- 
ened rather  than  increased.  Three  on  a  side  are  enough  for  a  success- 
ful debate.    If  the  membership  is  small,  two  on  a  side  might  be  better.] 

Article  III. — Installation  of  Officers 

The  installation  of  officers  shall  be  conducted  in  the  following  man- 
ner: The  retiring  Sergeant-at-Arms  shall  escort  the  newly-elected 
officers  before  the  Chair,  and  the  retiring  President  shall  administer 
the  following  oath  of  office :  ' '  Do  you,  and  each  of  you,  promise  to 
support  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  this  Society,  and  to  discharge 
to  the  best  of  your  ability  the  duties  of  the  office  to  which  you  have 
been  elected?"  Upon  receiving  an  affirmative  answer  to  this  oath, 
the  retiring  President  shall  declare  the  officers  duly  installed,  and  sur- 
render the  Chair  to  his  successor. 

[During  the  administration  of  the  oath,  the  members  of  the  Society 
should  stand,  and  the  new  officers  should  raise  their  right  hands.] 

Article  IV. — Initiation  of  Members 

Newly  elected  active  members  shall  be  initiated  in  the  following 
manner:  The  Sergeant-at-Arms  shall  bring  the  member-elect  before 
the  President,  who  shall  read  to  him  the  Preamble  of  the  Constitution, 
and  say:  "Do  you  solemnly  promise  upon  your  honor  as  a  gentle- 
man to  support  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  this  Society,  to  dis- 
charge to  the  best  of  your  ability  all  duties  required  of  you,  and  to 
labor  in  all  honorable  ways  for  its  advancement  ? ' '  Upon  receiving  an 
affirmative  answer  the  President  shall  direct  the  member-elect  to  sign 
the  Constitution  and  to  pay  his  initiation  fee,  after  which  the  Presi- 
dent shall  say :     "Mr I  now  take  pleasure  in 

extending  to  you  a  cordial  welcome  to  our  organization  and  in  declar- 
ing you  entitled  to  all  the  advantages  and  privileges  of  a  duly  initiated 
active  member  of  this  Society." 

Article  V. — Fees,  Dues,  and  Taxes 

Section  1.  Each  member  of  the  Society  shall  pay  an  initiation  fee 
of  $1. 

Section  2.     The  dues  of  each  member  shall  be  25  cents  a  term. 


234  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Section  3.  By  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present  and  vot- 
ing, the  Society  may  levy  a  tax  equally  upon  all  active  members. 

[Fees  and  dues  will,  of  course,  vary  with  different  localities.  _  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  make  a  member  feel,  by  the  payment  of  an  initiation 
fee,  that  it  is  worth  something  to  belong  to  the  Society.  Further,  if 
the  Society  intends  to  send  representatives  to  interscholastic  contests 
the  traveling  expenses  of  the  contestants  chosen  should  be  provided 
for  in  advance.] 


Article  "VI. — Fines  and  Delinquencies 

Section  1.  The  following  shall  be  finable  offenses  in  the  amounts 
as  stated: 

(a)  Disorderly  conduct  during  a  meeting  of  the  Society,  5  cents  to 
25  cents. 

(b)  Failure  of  an  officer  or  committeeman  to  perform  his  duty, 
25  cents. 

(c)  Failure  of  any  member  to  appear  on  the  program  as  assigned, 
25  cents. 

(d)  Absence  from  any  meeting  without  valid  excuse,  2.5  cents. 

(e)  Leaving  the  room  during  a  meeting  without  permission,  5  cents. 

(f)  Any  offense  not  included  in  the  above,  in  the  discretion  of  the 
President,  not  over  25  cents. 

A  valid  excuse  for  (b),  (c)  and  (d)  above  shall  be  absence  from 
town,  or  sickness.  All  excuses  for  above  offenses  shall  be  considered 
and  passed  upon  by  the  President  under  the  proper  order  of  business, 
and  his  decisions  thereon  can  be  overruled  only  by  a  two-thirds  vote. 

Section  2.  Any  member  who  is  two  weeks  in  arrears  in  the  pay- 
ment of  any  fees,  dues,  taxes  or  fines,  shall  be  reported  to  the  Society 
by  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  conjointly.  The  President  shall 
thereupon  appoint  a  special  committee  to  wait  upon  such  delinquent 
member  and  report  at  the  next  meeting.  In  case  no  satisfactory  ex- 
cuse is  reported,  such  delinquent  member  shall  be  suspended  from  the 
Society,  and  in  case  arrearages  are  not  arranged  for  at  or  before  the 
next  regular  meeting,  such  member  may  be  expelled;  provided,  how- 
ever, that  the  Society  may,  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  pres- 
ent and  voting,  remit  any  fees,  dues,  taxes  or  fines  in  such  special 
cases  as  may  seem  to  require  such  action. 

Section  3.  All  fines  shall  be  levied  by  the  President,  except  fines 
for  disorderly  conduct  during  a  meeting,  which  shall  be  levied  by 
either  the  President  or  the  Scrgeant-at-Arms. 


APPENDIX  235 

[The  provisions  of  the  preceding  article  may  seem  over-refined  and 
rather  severe,  and  some  societies  should  doubtless  change  or  omit  them. 
It  should  be  remembered,  hovrever,  that  the  success  of  any  society  de- 
pends upon  the  faithfulness  of  its  individual  members.  Delinquents 
and  drones  will  demoralize  the  whole  body,  and  the  Society  is  far  better 
off  without  them.  If  this  article  is  retained,  it  should  be  strictly  en- 
forced ;  it  should  be  administered  with  discretion,  but  at  the  same  time 
with  no  lack  of  backbone.] 

Article  VII. — Miscellaneous  Frovisions 

Section  1.  No  member  can  honorably  sever  his  relations  with  this 
Society  until  all  his  financial  obligations  to  it  are  settled. 

Section  2.  Voting  shall  be  either  viva  voce,  by  the  uplifted  hand, 
or  by  rising  vote.  Upon  request  of  three  members  any  vote  shall  be 
taken  by  ballot. 

Section  3.  Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the  Constitution  and  By- 
Laws,  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  requisite  for  election  or  the 
carrying  of  any  motion. 

Section  4.  It  shall  require  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  pres- 
ent (a)  to  suspend  any  of  the  By-Laws  of  this  Society  or  (b)  to  ad- 
journ before  the  regular  order  of  business  is  finished. 

Article  VIII. — Amendments 

Any  article  or  section  of  these  By-Laws  may  be  amended  at  any 
regular  meeting  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  active  members  present 
and  voting. 

PART  V 

Rules  of  Parliamentary  Procedure 

foreword 

Every  American  citizen  should  know  at  least  the  simpler  rules  of 
parliamentary  law.  It  is  sometimes  said  that  a  man  who  understands 
parliamentary  procedure  may  get  what  he  wants.  At  any  rate,  a 
person  who  does  not  know  how  to  proceed  before  a  deliberative  assem- 
bly is  very  seriously  handicapped.  In  the  course  of  time  a  large  num- 
ber of  rules  have  been  formulated  to  govern  the  actions  of  assemblies. 
We  shall  make  no  attempt  to  go  into  the  details  and  the  finer  points 
regarding  such  rules.  The  rules  that  follow  are  those  which  every 
citizen  ought  to  know,  and  will  usually  be  found  sufficient  for  the 


236  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

conduct  of  a  literary  or  debating  society.  It  Tvould  be  well  for  the 
members  of  a  society,  and  particularly  the  president,  to  have  at  hand 
a  standard  treatise  on  parliamentary  law  such  as  Eoberts'  "Eules  of 
Order,"  and  to  devote  five  or  ten  minutes  occasionally  at  the  meetings 
to  drill  in  procedure. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  parliamentary  rules  are  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  in  dispatching  business,  and  not  to  prevent  or 
hinder.  True,  one  is  wholly  justified  in  raising  questions  of  procedure 
relative  to  a  motion  which  he  is  either  favoring  or  opposing,  but  he  who 
laises  technical  objections  merely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  his 
knowledge  of  parliamentary  law  is  a  public  nuisance. 

ORGANIZATION   OF  THE    SOCIETY 

The  ordinary  procedure  in  presenting  and  deciding  matters  before 
a  meeting  can  be  illustrated  by  considering  for  a  moment  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  literary  or  debating  society.  Suppose  a  few  students  are  in- 
terested in  public  speaking  and  debating  and  wish  to  form  an  organiza- 
tion for  the  study  and  practice  of  these  arts.  They  meet  together 
informally  and  talk  over  the  prospects  for  a  successful  society.  If 
prospects  seem  encouraging,  a  notice  is  given  of  a  time  and  place  of 
meeting  for  the  organization  of  such  a  society.  Upon  meeting  someone 
rises  and  says,  for  instance,  ' '  Gentlemen,  since  we  have  decided  to  form 
a  literary  society,  I  suggest  that  we  proceed  to  business.  I  nominate 
Mr.  Smith  for  temporary  chairman  of  the  meeting."  Someone  seconds 
the  motion,  and  the  member  making  the  nomination  puts  the  ques- 
tion. Mr.  Smith  is  declared  elected  and  takes  the  chair.  The  chair- 
man then  calls  for  nominations  for  a  temporary  secretary,  and  Mr. 
Jones  rises  and  says,  "Mr.  Chairman." 

Chairman :     ' '  Mr.  Jones. ' ' 

Mr.  Jones :     ' '  Mr.  Chairman,  I  nominate  Mr.  Thompson. ' ' 

The  chair  then  calls  for  other  nominations,  and  if  there  are  none 
he  puts  the  question,  and  Mr.  Thompson  is  declared  elected.  The 
meeting  is  then  organized  and  can  proceed  to  business,  the  temporary 
secretary  keeping  full  minutes  of  what  takes  place.  The  next  step 
would  usually  be  to  appoint  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  for  the  organization,  or,  if  it  is  desired  to  use  the  constitution 
in  this  bulletin,  the  meeting  could  at  once  take  up  the  discussion  of  it, 
section  by  section,  making  any  changes  they  desire.  Whenever  the 
constitution  is  adopted,  the  next  thing  is  to  elect  the  permanent  offi- 
cers.    These  officers  may  be  installed  at  this  or  at  a  second  meeting. 


APPENDIX  237 

As  soon  as  the  installation  takes  place  the  president  should  at  once  ap- 
point any  standing  committees  provided  for  in  the  constitution.  A 
program  should  be  arranged  for  the  next  meeting,  and  thereafter  the 
meetings  should  be  conducted  in  accordance  with  the  "Order  of  Busi- 
ness" as  specified  in  the  by-laws. 

All  business  is  introduced  to  the  society  in  some  form  of  a  resolu- 
tion or  motion.  The  general  form  of  presenting  a  motion  has  been 
shown  above.  In  dealing  with  a  motion,  these  four  steps  are  always 
to  be  observed: 

(1)  A  member  rises  from  the  floor  and,  after  addressing  the  chair 
and  securing  recognition,  presents  his  motion. 

(2)  After  the  motion  has  been  seconded,  the  presiding  officer  states 
it.    It  is  then  before  the  assembly  for  such  discussion  as  may  be  desired. 

(3)  When  the  debate  is  closed  on  the  motion,  the  question  is  put 
to  vote  by  the  chairman. 

(4)  The  result  of  the  vote  is  announced  by  the  presiding  officer. 

GENERAL  TERMS 

Quorum. — The  usual  practice  in  any  deliberate  society  is  to  require 
the  presence  of  one-half  of  the  active  membership  to  transact  any  busi- 
ness, except  to  adjourn,  which  may  be  done  by  any  number.  If  there 
is  really  no  objection  to  the  business  to  be  transacted,  the  question  of  a 
quorum  need  not  be  raised.  The  by-laws  of  the  society  may  prescribe 
a  different  number  to  constitute  a  quorum. 

Voting. — Except  as  otherwise  provided  in  the  by-laws,  voting  on  a 
motion  or  resolution  is  usually  done  viva  voce.  That  is,  all  in  favor  of 
the  motion  say  ' '  Aye, ' '  all  opposed  * '  No. ' '  In  case  of  a  tie  the  chair- 
man's  vote  decides.  In  case  of  doubt  as  to  the  result  of  a  vote,  any 
member  may  call  for  a  rising  vote,  or  the  chairman  himself  may,  of 
his  own  accord,  call  for  such  a  vote.  When  it  is  desired  to  keep  secret 
how  individuals  vote  on  a  question,  a  motion  may  be  made  to  vote  by 
ballot.  By  a  majority  vote  the  society  may  also  order  the  secretary 
to  call  the  names  of  members  to  vote  on  any  motion.  If  in  favor,  a 
member  votes  ' '  Aye, ' '  if  opposed,  ' '  No. ' ' 

Beports  of  Committees. — Under  the  regular  order  of  business  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  secures  the  floor  and  says,  "The  committee 

on begs  leave  to  report  that (gives  report) 

all  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. ' '  A  minority  of  the  committee 
differing  from  the  majority  may  also  present  a  report  in  the  same 
manner. 


238  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  MOTIONS 

Motions  are  usually  divided  into  four  general  classes:  Principal, 
Privileged,  Incidental,  and  Subsidiary. 

Frmcipal  motion. — Any  motion  which  brings  original  business  be- 
fore the  house  is  known  as  the  principal  motion,  or  the  main  question, 
after  it  has  been  put  by  the  presiding  oflScer.  It  is  the  general  rule  that 
•when  the  main  question  is  regularly  before  the  house  no  other  question 
can  arise  unless  it  be  a  motion  offered  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the 
disposition  of  the  main  question.  The  purpose  of  motions  affecting 
the  main  question  before  the  house  may  be  indicated  as  follows : 

1.  If  a  member  desires  entirely  to  shut  off  further  action  on  the  sub- 
ject, he  makes  a  motion  either  (a)  to  lay  on  the  table,  or  (b)  to  post- 
pone indefinitely. 

2.  If  a  member  desires  to  put  off  to  some  future  time  action  on  any 
matter,  he  makes  a  motion  either  to  (a)  postpone  to  a  certain  time,  or 
(b)   to  lay  on  the  table. 

3.  If  a  member  desires  to  stop  further  discussion  and  bring  the 
main  question  at  once  to  vote,  he  makes  a  motion  either  (a)  for  the 
previous  question  or   (b)   to  limit  debate. 

4.  If  a  member  is  generally  favorable  to  the  principal  motion,  but 
wishes  to  have  it  passed  in  a  modified  or  altered  form,  he  makes  a 
motion  either  (a)  to  commit,  refer,  or  recommit  to  a  committee,  or 
(b)   to  amend. 

5.  If  a  member  desires  that  the  action  of  a  society  already  taken  on 
some  matter  be  changed,  he  makes  a  motion  either  to  reconsider  or  to 

rescind. 

6.  If  a  member  thinks  that  the  society  is  not  proceeding  according 
to  parliamentary  rule,  he  rises  to  a  point  of  order;  and,  if  his  point  of 
order  is  not  sustained  by  the  presiding  officer,  he  may  appeal  from  the 
decision  of  the  chair. 

Privileged  Motions 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  various  specific  motions  a  little  more  in  de- 
tail. Certain  of  these  are  called  "privileged"  because  they  are  en- 
titled to  precedence  over  all  other  motions.  Generally  speaking,  they 
are  always  in  order,  and  any  otner  matter  or  business  must  yield  to 
them.     The  privileged  motions  are  as  follows: 

1.  To  adjourn. — The  motion  simply  to  adojurn  (that  is,  unquali- 
fied),  although  always  in   order,  has  the   following  limitations:      It 


APPENDIX  239 

supersedes  all  other  questions  except  fixing  the  time  for  the  next  meet- 
ing; it  cannot  be  received  while  a  member  is  speaking  unless  he  con- 
sents to  give  way  for  that  purpose;  it  cannot  be  entertained  while  a 
vote  is  being  taken  upon  another  motion;  it  cannot  be  debated, 
amended,  committed,  postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on  the  table.  It 
cannot,  after  being  once  voted  down,  be  renewed  unless  other  business 
intervenes.  If  qualified  as  to  time,  or  in  any  other  manner,  a  motion  to 
adjourn  ceases  to  be  privileged  and  becomes  a  main  question. 

2.  Questions  of  Privilege. — This  has  reference  to  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  the  assembly  and  of  its  members.  It  does  not  require  a 
second;  a  majority  carries  the  motion.  It  can  be  amended,  debated, 
committed,  postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on  the  table.  The  form 
of  presenting  a  question  of  privilege  is  as  follows: 

Member :  "I  rise  to  a  question  of  privilege. ' '  Chairman :  *  *  State 
your  question."  Member:  "I  am  charged  with . "  The  chair- 
man makes  a  ruling  which  is  subject  to  appeal  from  the  decision  of 
the  chair. 

3.  Order  of  Business. — The  order  of  business  as  fixed  by  the  by- 
laws must  be  followed  at  each  meeting  unless  changed  by  a  two-thirds 
vote  of  the  society.  A  motion  for  a  special  order  does  not  require  a 
second,  requires  two-thirds  vote  for  passage,  is  not  debatable,  cannot 
be  amended,  postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on  the  table,  and  is  not 
subject  to  previous  question. 

Incidental  Motions 

These  motions  are  entitled  to  precedence  over  all  except  privileged 
questions,  and  must  be  disposed  of  when  they  arise. 

The  incidental  motions  are  as  follows: 

Questions  of  Order. — When  a  point  of  order  is  raised,  the  chair- 
man makes  a  ruling  which  stands  as  final  unless  the  assembly  takes 
the  matter  into  its  own  hands  by  an  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the 
chair.  A  motion  to  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair  requires  a 
second,  requires  majority  vote,  is  not  debatable  (as  a  general  rule) , 
cannot  be  amended,  committed,  or  postponed,  cannot  be  renewed  after 
once  decided,  is  not  in  order  when  another  appeal  is  pending.  In  case 
of  a  tie  vote  the  chair  is  sustained.  The  procedure  in  an  appeal  from 
tho  decision  of  the  chair  is  as  follows:  Member:  "1  rise  to  a  point 
of  order. ' '  Chairman :  ' '  State  your  point. ' '  The  member  then 
staies  his  point,  the  chairman  making  his  ruling  thereon.  Member; 
•*I  appeal  frorn  the  decision  of  the  chair."     Chairman:     "The  ques- 


240  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

tion  is,  'Shall  the  chair  be  sustained?'  or,  'Shall  the  decision  of  tho 
chair  stand  as  the  decision  of  the  assembly?'  " 

2.  To  Withdraw  a  Motion. — When  a  motion  is  regularly  made 
and  seconded,  it  cannot  be  withdrawn  except  by  a  vote  of  the  assem- 
bly. This  is  accomplished  by  a  motion  that  the  member  be  allowea 
to  withdraw  his  motion.  This  is  decided  by  a  majority  vote,  does  not 
require  a  second,  cannot  be  debated,  amended,  committed,  or  post- 
poned, is  not  subject  to  previous  question,  can  be  reconsidered  or  laid 
on  the  table. 

3.  To  Suspend  a  Eule. — Whenever  it  is  desired  to  depart  from  the 
regular  order  of  business,  a  motion  to  suspend  the  rule  is  in  order. 
In  case  there  is  no  objection  to  doing  a  thing  contrary  to  rule,  there 
is  no  need  for  a  motion.  The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  society. 
however,  cannot  be  suspended.  A  motion  to  suspend  a  rule  requires  a 
second,  requires  a  two-thirds  vote,  cannot  be  debated,  amended,  com- 
mitted, postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on  the  table.  It  cannot  be 
renewed  at  the  same  meeting.  An  undebatable  question  cannot  be 
made  debatable  by  suspending  the  rule. 

4.  To  Beconsider. — When  a  motion  has  once  been  duly  passed  it 
cannot  be  reconsidered  by  the  society,  except  by  formal  motion.  A 
motion  to  reconsider  a  main  question  must  be  made  by  someone  who 
voted  for  it  when  the  motion  was  carried  (else  a  majority  might 
indefinitely  prolong  the  debate),  and  it  must  be  made  at  the  same  or 
the  next  succeeding  meeting.  If  the  motion  to  reconsider  is  lost,  the 
main  question  is  finally  disposed  of;  if  the  motion  to  reconsider  is 
carried,  the  main  question  is  again  before  the  house.  A  motion  to  re- 
consider requires  a  second,  majority  vote,  is  debatable  if  the  main 
question  to  which  it  refers  is  debatable,  cannot  be  amended,  committed, 
postponed,  or  reconsidered.  It  can  be  laid  on  the  table,  not  tabling  the 
main  question.  An  assembly  cannot  reconsider  motions  to  adjourn,  to 
suspend  the  rules,  or  to  reconsider.  If  a  motion  to  reconsider  is  car- 
ried, the  original  question  is  again  before  the  house  as  if  it  had  never 
been  acted  on. 

SuBsiDiART  Motions 

The  object  of  subsidiary  motions  is  to  postpone  or  modify  action 
on  the  principal  motion,  definitely  or  indefinitely;  i.  e.,  they  help  to 
dispose  of  main  questions  and  have  to  be  decided  before  the  main  ques- 
tion to  which  they  apply.  They  yield  to  privileged  or  incidental  ques- 
tions.    The  subsidiary  motions  are: 


APPENDIX  241 

1.  To  Lay  on  the  Tahle. — This  motion  is  usually  resorted  to  when  it 
is  desired  to  put  aside  a  question  either  temporarily  or  more  or  less 
indefinitely.  A  motion  laid  on  the  table  may  be  taken  up  again 
whenever  the  assembly  so  desires.  It  cannot  be  debated,  committed, 
amended,  or  postponed,  is  not  subject  to  previous  question,  and  cannot 
be  laid  on  the  table.  If  carried,  this  motion  lays  on  the  table  the 
principal  motion  and  all  secondary  to  it. 

2.  Previous  Question. — The  object  of  this  motion  is  to  shut  off 
further  debate  and  to  bring  the  main  question  to  a  vote  at  once.  It 
applies  only  to  debatable  questions.  If  carried  it  puts  the  main  ques- 
tion without  delay  before  the  house.  It  requires  a  two-thirds  vote, 
must  be  seconded,  cannot  be  debated,  amended,  committed,  or  post- 
poned, is  not  subject  to  previous  question,  cannot  be  reconsidered  if 
lost,  can  be  reconsidered  if  carried.  It  can  be  laid  on  the  table — 
carries  with  it  entire  subject — main  and  secondary  motion.  If  lost,  it 
leaves  the  main  question  as  before  open  to  debate.  Eesort  to  this 
motion  is  sometimes  called  applying  the  "gag  law,"  and  should  be 
resorted  to  only  when  the  discussion  of  a  motion  has  been  unneces- 
sarily prolonged.  The  form  of  the  motion  is  as  follows:  Member: 
' '  I  move  the  previous  question. ' '  Upon  receiving  a  second,  the  chair- 
man puts  the  motion  as  foUows:  "Shall  the  main  question  be  now 
put?" 

3.  Postpone  to  Time  Certain. — When  the  assembly  is  willing  to  con- 
sider a  motion,  but  not  at  a  time  when  it  is  made,  the  motion  to  post- 
pone to  a  definite  time  is  in  order.  Such  a  motion  requires  a  majority 
vote,  can  be  debated,  can  be  amended  as  to  time,  cannot  be  committed 
or  postponed.  A  question  postponed  to  a  time  certain  can  be  taken 
up  before  that  time  arrives  by  a  two-thirds  vote. 

4.  To  commit,  refer,  or  recommit. — "When  an  assembly  is  not  ready 
to  vote  on  a  question,  such  question  may  be  sent  to  a  committee  for 
consideration  and  report,  or  it  may  be  referred  to  a  special  committee, 
or,  if  the  assembly  wishes  further  action  by  a  committee,  it  may  be 
recommitted  to  such  committee. 

5.  To  amend. — A  motion  to  amend  is  properly  a  motion  friendly 
to  the  proposition  to  be  amended,  its  object  being  to  correct  or  im- 
prove the  form  or  statement  of  the  principal  motion.  Amendments 
are  made  by  the  insertion,  addition,  substitution,  or  omission  of  words 
or  sentences.  In  general,  a  motion  to  amend  is  subject  to  the  same 
rules  as  the  question  to  which  it  is  applied.  If  a  main  question  is 
committed,  postponed,  or  laid  on  the  table,  it  takes  aU  amendments 


242  ORAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

with  it.  An  amendment  is  always  put  before  the  main  question.  An 
amendment  to  an  amendment  can  not  be  amended ;  if  one  amendment 
to  an  amendment  is  not  satisfactory,  it  must  be  voted  down  and  an- 
other substituted.  An  amendment  must  be  germane  to  the  motion 
which  it  seeks  to  modify;  that  as,  it  must  not  relate  to  a  wholly 
different  matter. 

By  way  of  summary,  the  following  are 

Questions  not  debatable :  Points  of  order,  motions  to  adjourn,  for 
the  previous  question,  to  lay  on  the  table,  and  to  change  the  order  of 
business. 

Motions  not  requiring  a  second  are :  Nominations,  questions  of 
privilege,  orders  of  the  day,  objection  to  the  consideration  of  a  ques- 
tion. 

Motions  requiring  a  ttco-thirds  vote  to  carry  are:  To  change  the 
order  of  business,  to  suspend  a  rule,  previous  question,  objection  to  the 
consideration  of  a  question. 

Finally,  let  it  be  said  again  that  the  procedure  in  all  deliberative 
bodies  should  be  carried  on  in  an  orderly  manner,  and  it  is  better  for 
school  literary  societies  to  train  themselves  in  excessive  care  for  forms 
of  procedure  rather  than  to  conduct  meetings  in  a  slip-shod  fashion. 
The  president  should  see  that  order  is  duly  preserved;  that  all  mo- 
tions are  made  in  due  form;  that  there  is  only  one  matter  of  business 
considered  at  a  time;  that  all  discussion  be  limited  to  the  motion  be- 
fore the  house ;  and  that,  after  a  member  has  secured  the  floor  in  proper 
form,  he  be  heard  without  interruption,  except  on  a  point  of  order. 


PAUT  VI 
Bibliograpliy 

The   following   selected  list   of  books,   classified   according  to   the 
chapter-headings  of  this  book,  is  by  no  means  exhaustive.     It  is  in- 
tended to  include  some  of  the  better  books  which  should  be  iu  a  well 
equipped  high-school  library. 

A.     Oral  Reading  and  Declamation 

Bassett,  A  Handbool:  of  Oral  heading.  $1.60.  Houghton  MifBin  Co., 
Boston.  An  elaborate  treatment  of  the  subject,  and  a  good  refer- 
ence book  for  the  teacher. 


APPENDIX  243 

Bolenins,  The  Teaching  of  Oral  English.  $1.20.  J .  S.  Lippincott  Co., 
Philadelphia.  Suggestive  for  oral  composition  work,  especially  in 
the  grades  below  the  high  school. 

Brewer,  Oral  English.  $1.00.  Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston.  Stresses  oral 
composition.  Contains  a  large  iiumber  of  topics  for  various  stages 
of  the  work. 

Davis  and  Bridgeman,  Three  Minute  Declamations  for  College  Men. 
$1.25.     Hinds,  Hayden  and  Eldredge,  New  York. 

Frink,  New  Century  Speaker.  $1.10.  Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston,  Con- 
tains prose  selections  for  declamations. 

Houghton,  The  Elements  of  Fuhlic  Speaking.  $1.20.  Ginn  and  Co., 
Boston. 

Hyde,  Beader  and  Speaker.  $1.10.  Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston.  Contains 
declamations  consisting  of  both  prose  and  poetry,  with  an  introduc- 
tory treatise  on  the  technique  of  delivery. 

Knowles,  Oral  English.  $1.28.  D.  C.  Heath  and  Co.,  Boston.  In  con- 
tent the  plan  is  analogous  to  the  present  text.  Appendices  contain 
suggestive  topics  for  speeches. 

Lewis,  American  Speech.     $0.80.     Scott,  Foresman  and  Co.,  Chicago. 

Shurter,  Public  Speaking.     $0.90.     Allyn  and  Bacon,  Boston. 

Winning  Declamations  and  Eow  to  Speak  Them.  $1.25.  Lloyd 
Adams  Noble,  New  York.    Selections  of  both  prose  and  poetry. 

American  Oratory  of  To-day.  $1.50.  Hinds,  Hayden  and  Eldredge, 
New  York.    Contains  five-minute  prose  selections  for  declamation. 

"Patriotic  Selections.  Lloyd  Adams  Noble,  New  York.  Prose  and 
poetry  of  the  "World  War. 

Smith,  Oral  English  for  Secondary  Schools.  $1.00.  The  Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York.  Primarily  a  text  on  oral  reading  and  declamation, 
with  selections  for  practice. 

B.     Speech   Composition 

Bradley,  Orations  and  Arguments.     $1.00.     Allyn  and  Bacon,  Chicago. 

A  collection  of  classical  speeches. 
Knapp  and  French,  The  Speech  for  Special  Occasions.     $1.10.     The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York.     Contains  examples  of  various  types  of 

speeches,    with    an    introductory    treatment    of    "The    Occasional 

Speech. " 
Phillips,    Effective    Speaking.     $1.50.     The    Newton    Co.,    Chicago. 

Standard  college  text  on  speech  composition  and  an  excellent  treatise 

for  reference. 


244  OEAL  ENGLISH  AND  PUBLIC  SPEAKING 

Shurter,  The  Bhetoric  of  Oratory.     $1.10.     The  MacmiUan  Co.,  New 

York.     A  college  text  on  oratorical  composition. 
Masterpieces  of  Modern  Oratory.     $1.00.     Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston.     A 

collection  of  fifteen  speeches,  edited  with  introduction  and  notes. 
Representative    College    Orations.     $1.35.     The    Macmillan    Co.,    New 

York.    A  collection  of  typical  orations  delivered  in  college  oratorical 

contests. 
Winans,  PuUic  Speahing.     $1.60.     The  Sewell  Publishing  Co.,  Ithaca, 

New  York.     In  large  part  a  treatise  on  speech  composition,  but  the 

treatment  also  includes  the  subjects  dealt  with  in  Chapters  I  and  III 

of  the  present  text.     This  is  a  college  text,  but  a  good  reference 

book  for  the  teacher. 

C.     Extempore   Speaking 

Bautain,  The  Art  of  Extempore  Speahing.  $1.50.  Scribner's  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  New  York.  This  is  the  pioneer  modern  text  on  this 
subject  by  the  distinguished  French  author.  Parts  of  the  treatise 
would  be  suggestive  and  helpful  to  the  teacher  by  way  of  a  refer- 
ence book. 

Mosher,  The  Essentials  of  Extempore  Speaking.  $1.00.  The  Mac- 
millan Co.,  New  York. 

Pearson  and  Hicks,  Extempore  SpeaTcing.  $1.25.  Hinds,  Hayden  and 
Eldredge,  New  York. 

Shurter,  Extempore  Speaking.    $0.90.    Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston. 

D.     Debating 

Alden,  The  Art  of  Dehate.     $1.00.     Henry  Holt  and  Co.,  New  York. 

Baker  and  Huntington,  The  Principles  of  Argument.  $1.25.  Ginn 
and  Co.,  Boston.  This  is  a  pioneer  and  standard  text,  but  it  is 
adapted  for  college  rather  than  high-school  classes. 

Brookings  and  Eingwalt,  Briefs  for  Delate.  $1.25.  Longmans,  Green 
Co.,  New  York. 

Gardner,  The  Making  of  Arguments.     $1.00.     Ginn  and  Co.,  Boston. 

Lyons,  Elements  of  Debating.  $1.00.  The  University  of  Chicago 
Press. 

Nichols,  Intercollegiate  Debate.  4  volumes.  $1.50  each.  Hinds,  Hay- 
den and  Eldredge,  New  York. 

University  Debaters'  Manvsal.  $1.80.  H.  W.  Wilson  Co.,  New  York. 
These  volumes  contain  full  reports  of  the  speeches  delivered  in  many 


APPENDIX  245 

of  the  most  important  intercollegiate  debates  held  in  the  United 
States  in  recent  years. 

Pattee,  Practical  Argumentation.  $1.00.  The  Century  Co.,  New- 
York. 

Eobl)ins,  High  School  Debate  Boole.  $1.00.  McClurg  and  Co.,  Chi- 
cago, 

Ringwalt,  Briefs  on  Publio  Questions.  $1.00.  Longmans,  Green  and 
Co.,  New  York. 

Shurter,  How  to  Debate.     $1.35.     Harper  Bros.,  New  York. 

One  Hundred  Public  Questions  Briefly  Debated.  $1.35.  Hinds,  Hay- 
den  and  Eldredge,  New  York.  This  book  contains  outlined  argu- 
ments, affirmative  and  negative,  together  with  references.  The  out- 
lines are  not  as  full  as  those  given  in  the  two  other  books  containing 
briefs  listed  above. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing.  Bliss's  New  Encyclopedia  of  Social 
Beform,  found  in  most  libraries,  is  an  excellent  book  for  securing  the 
essential  facts  regarding  present  day  public  questions,  and  very  often 
gives  the  outlined  arguments  for  and  against  debatable  questions.  The 
H.  "W.  Wilson  Co.,  New  York,  has  selected  arguments  on  the  affirma- 
tive and  negative  sides  of  a  number  of  public  questions  in  the  De- 
haters'  Handbook  series,  each  volume  $1.00.  The  Extension  Depart- 
ment of  your  State  University  wiU  probably  be  able  to  furnish  mate- 
rial on  a  number  of  subjects. 


INDEX 


Apple  Blossoms,  55. 
Arguments  in   Debate,   Construc- 
tive, 202, 

Analogy,  204, 

Casual  Relationship,  205, 

Example,  204, 

Exercises  in,  206. 
Articulation,  22, 

Exercises  in,  24. 

Bacheller,  Irving,  110. 
Beecher,  Henry  Ward,  135. 
Bibliography,  242. 
Boynton,  Nehemiah,  103. 
Breathing,  20, 

Exercises  in,  21. 
Browning,  Eobert,  52. 
Bryan,  William  Jennings,  137. 

Chambers,  Robert  W.,  44. 
Commemorative  Speech,  The,  143, 
Constitution   and  By-Laws  for  a 

Literary  or  Debating  Society, 

228. 
Curtis,  George  William,  134,  138, 

139. 

Day  is  Done,  The,  57.- 
Debate,  The,  187, 

Action  in,  79, 

Analyzing  the  Proposition,  191, 

Briefing  the  Question,  116, 

Choice  of,  64, 

Collecting  the  Material  for,  190, 

Conclusion,  200, 

Constructive  Arguments,  202, 

Definition  of,  10, 

Delivery  of,  215, 

Ethics  of,  212, 

Exercises  in,  194,  201,  21P, 

Fallacies  in,  Detecting,  209, 

Proof,  199, 

Questions  for,  220, 


Eefutation,  208, 
Rules  for  Interscholastic,  225, 
Selecting  and  Stating  the  Ques- 
tion, 188. 

Emerson,  34,   75. 

Emphasis,  32, 
Exercises  in,  33. 

Ethics  of  Debating,  212. 

Eulogy,  The,  144. 

Extempore    Speaking,    Definition 

of,  10,  157, 

Nature  and  Advantages  of,  156, 

Preparation  and  Delivery,  161, 

Suggested  Topics  for,  169-186. 

Flanders'  Fields,  In,  46, 

An  Answer,  47. 
Force,  38, 

Exercises  in,  39. 
France    at    the    Opening    of    the 
World  War,  44. 

Galbreath,  C.  B.,  47. 
Garcia,  A  Message  to,  98. 
Garfield,  134, 

The  Death  of,  108. 
Gestures,  87, 

Exercises  in,  89. 
Grady,  Henry  W.,  107,  132,  136. 

Hillis,  Newell  Dwight,  100. 
Home  of  the  Republic,  The,  107, 
Homeland,  The,  103. 
Hubbard,  Elbert,  54,  98. 
Hymn  of  Freedom,  61. 

I  Am  An  American,  96. 
Inflection,  29, 

Exercises  in,  31. 
Ingersoll,  Robert  G.,  102,  140. 


King,  Mary  Perry,  61. 
Kipling,  Rudyard,  59. 


246 


INDEX 


247 


Lane,  Franklin  K.,  48. 
Liebermann,  Elias,  96. 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  149,  152,  216, 

217. 
Little   Old   School   of  the   Home, 

The,  110. 
Longfellow,  Henry  W.,  57,  105. 

Making  of  Our   Country's  Flag, 

The,  48. 
Martin,  William  Wesley,  55. 
Masterpiece  of  God,  The,  54. 

McCain,  Adj.-Gen.  H.  P.,  22. 
McCrae,  Lt.-Col.  John  M.,  46. 

Napoleon,  At  the  Tomb  of,  102. 

O  'Connell,  Eloquence  of,  94. 
Oral  English,  Definition  of,  9, 

Outlined  Course  of  Study  in,  12, 

Value  of,  10. 
Oral  Reading,  14, 

Selections  for,  43. 
Oration,  14.3. 

Oratory,  Definition  of,  10. 
Other  Fellow,  The,  51. 

Parliamentary    Procedure,    Rules 

for    235. 
Phillips',  Wendell,  94,  135,  140. 
Phrasing,  36, 

Exercises  in,  38. 
Pitch,  27, 

Exercises  in,  28. 
Power  of  Music,  The,  50. 
Proof   for  Debate,   199. 
Pronunciation,  26, 

Exercises  in,  26. 
Prospice,  52. 
Public  Speaking,  Definition  of,  9, 

General  Preparation  for,  113. 

Quality,  41, 

Exercises  in,  42. 

Rate,  34, 

Exercises  in,  35. 


Recessional,  59. 

Refutation,  208, 
Exercises  in,  212, 
Special  Methods  of,  210. 

Roosevelt,  133. 

Score-card  for  Grading  a  Decla- 
mation, 93, 
For  Grading  an  Original 
Speech,  142. 
Shakespeare,  50. 
Smith,  William  Hawley,  51. 
Social      Service,      Developing      a 

Spirit  of,  116. 
Speech  Composition,  113, 
Exercises  in,  132, 
Preparation  for  the  Particular 
Occasion,  119. 
Speeches,  Types  of,  142, 
After-dinner,  145, 
Commemorative,  145, 
Eulogy,  144, 
Oration,   143. 
Stories,     Suggested     Topics    for. 

170. 
Storrs,  163. 

Subjects   for   Speeches  and   Ora- 
tions, 218. 
Suggested  Topics  for  Extempore 
Speaking,  169. 

Thou,  Too,  Sail  On,  105. 
Tilton,   139. 

Tone,  How  to  Make  a,  20, 
Exercises  in,  21. 

Vance,  Zebulon  Baird,  16. 

Viviani,  150. 

Vocabulary,  Acquiring  a,  115, 

Exercises  in,  117. 
Voice,  The,  19. 
Volume,  40, 

Exercises  in,  41. 


Wilson,  Woodrow,  133,  147,  152. 
Woe  of  Belgium,  The,  100. 
World  War,  The.  177.  ^r, 

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